Ruin of slave hospital at Orange Valley, Trelawny
Upon the invitation extended by Dr. Ivor Conolley of Falmouth Heritage Renewal, in collaboration with the University of Virginia Field School in Historic Preservation, and the Digital Archaeological Archives of Comparative Slavery (DAACS), I along with a few members of the Georgian Society of Jamaica – St. Ann/St. Mary and Falmouth Chapters volunteered to assist with the recording of buildings at Orange Valley, Trelawny, as well as conducting some archaeological investigations/excavations.
Georgian Society member, Anne Hyatt, sorting artifacts
The Georgian Society team arrived on day three of the week-long excavation. Things were well underway and the teams were hard at work digging and washing the artifacts that had been found. Before we got our hands dirty though, we decided to tour the estate which
spreads across over 2000 acres.
spreads across over 2000 acres.
The History ...
Unknown Photographer c 1900 Collection Andrew Kerr Jarrett
Our first stop on the tour of the estate was the ruin of the great house. Rich in history, the estate was first purchased from the Allen family in 1757 by Herbert Newton Jarrett II. who built the Great House in 1760. Herbert Newton Jarrett II had a great part to play in the existence of what was without a doubt one of the most impressive ruins that has been wonderfully preserved -- the Slave Hospital. It was the work of architect E. Earl and, when built in 1797 by Jarrett, was one of only three estates to provide a hospital for its slaves.
Photograph by Donald Lindo, c. 1970.
Special thanks to Brett Ashmeade-Hawkins for allowing me to use his two vintage photos and quite a bit of the information here:
“[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 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 . . .
The well ventilated symmetrical cut-stone structure with Venetian windows all around was once rendered in lime mortar which over time faded away. [I must say I prefer seeing the cut-stone anyway]. The interior which was built with timber is not in existence today and there is no evidence of the location of the staircase(s) which would lead to the upper floor. At the entrance is the Latin inscription which translates as “not unmindful of the sick and wretched’. At that time there were few hospitals which were built of this caliber on a plantation.
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:
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:
Blog post by Latoya Gail. Photos by Latoya Gail and David Keeling. Photo captions and edits by Lena Rose.
