

spreads across over 2000 acres.
The History ...


“[The great house] had enclosed galleries along the entire front on both the second and third floors. Behind the Entrance Gallery on the second floor was a large square central Drawing Room flanked by a Dining Room on one side and a Library and a Bedroom on the other. Behind the upstairs gallery on the third floor was another large share central room, used as a family Sitting Room, flanked by 4 more Bedrooms, two on either side. There were also two enclosed galleries which ran the entire length of the back of the house on the second and third floors which contained the mahogany staircase which connected the second and third floors.
The second floor front gallery was used as an Entrance Hall and the second floor back gallery was used as a Breakfast Room. The third floor front gallery, which was later partially opened up in the centre, was definitely used as an outdoor Sitting Room. It had a wonderful view over the Overseer's House and Sugar Works and much of the plantation. The third floor back gallery was basically just a staircase hall.
--” Brett Ashmeade-Hawkin
In the 18th century, Orange Valley was the second largest sugar plantation after Tharpe’s, Good Hope. The Orange Valley estate ruin is one of the best examples of the layout and
buildings of its time. Up until the late 1900’s, the great house was still standing in fairly good condition but unfortunately it collapsed as a result of thieves slowly stealing away the remarkable structure. (Quite similar to what happened to the RADA building in Falmouth) Today one would never know that it once was a beautiful two storey dwelling that overlooked the slave hospital and sugar works mill.
The Slave Hospital . . .

After the decline of sugar production, the estate reinvented itself and in 1966 became the first commercial stud farm in Jamaica. To date, this is still an active component of the family business now run by Alec Henderson and his wife.
We continued our tour on the rest of the estate which included the ruins of the sugar works mill and overseer's cottage. Since "a picture is worth a thousand words" please view the slide show below for more details: