The Rebirth of Nelson's Dockyard

As a self-professed “World Heritage Sites connoisseur,” I was very excited to learn that this tiny twin-island nation has its own World Heritage Site. According to UNESCO, Nelson’s Dockyard, or Antigua Naval Dockyard, is perhaps the country’s most well-known historical monument. If all the touts at Saint John’s cruise port were to be believed, the day trip is the most popular day trip destination for arriving cruise passengers. While planning my trip, this is the one place I consider to be a must-visit for me. After all, I wouldn’t want to miss out on a world heritage site because who knows when my next visit to Antigua would be.

The historic Clarence House is one of the finest examples of 19th-century living in Antigua and Barbuda.

The story of Nelson’s Dockyard is intrinsically linked to the island's history. Among all the Leeward Islands, the British considered Antigua its most prized possession because of its strategic importance in military planning. Some would argue that Antigua’s military importance is attributed to the existence of the English Harbor, which is part of today’s Nelson’s Dockyard. The local landowners offered the land for free in the hope of investment from the British Navy in return for better military protection from the crown. This natural harbor was an important shelter during the Caribbean’s prolonged hurricane season. In 1723, a major hurricane destroyed 35 ships in Antigua. However, those harbored in English Harbor suffered no damage.

Realizing what a valuable shelter it was, the British began constructing a fitting station for the entire naval fleet. In 1728, the navy finished a capstan house for careening ships, wooden sheds for storage, and a stone storehouse. Over the next few decades, the dockyard was enlarged with the “help” of 130 enslaved Africans. The local geography is substantially altered with land reclamation, and a series of fortifications of lookout points were constructed to warn of a potential invasion from the neighboring French navy in Martinique and marauding pirates.

The formal entrance into Nelson’s Dockyard.

The dockyard is named after the famous British admiral Horatio Nelson of the Battle of Trafalgar fame. Nelson was named the commander of the ship HMS Boreas in 1784. His main job was posted to Antigua to enforce the Navigation Act. The main aim of this law was to ensure no foreigners were involved in the colonial trades and collected appropriate taxes. In other words, his job was to stop piracy and smuggling. Because smugglers’ main customers are Antiguan landowners, Nelson was not popular in Antigua. He had an active dispute with his superior over the interpretation of the law and was even imprisoned at one point over a dispute. Famously, Lord Nelson described English Harbor as an “infernal hellhole” and a sight that he hated.

This sundial is among the oldest artifacts in the dockyard.

With the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, naval warfare shifted enormously in favor of larger steam-powered ships. Inevitably, English Harbour became too narrow and gradually fell out of favor. With the defeat of Napolean at Waterloo, the active threat from France in the Caribbean disappeared. The British Navy officially closed the dockyard in 1889, abandoning it for nearly six decades. It was not until the 1920s that people again took an interest in the dockyard's history. The place was then named after Lord Nelson, who has since become the national hero of Britain since Nelson departed from Antigua.

The renaming proved to be a wise choice and pivotal to the restoration effort of the dockyard. Under the patronage of the Governor of Leeward Islands at the time, the restoration efforts were partly done with volunteer labor from the Royal Navy stationed in Antigua. In 1955, Princess Magaret, sister of the late Queen Elizabeth II, visited the dockyard and became the chief patron of the restoration effort. Lady Churchill, the wife of the popular prime minister, hosted a benefit in No. 10 Downing Street to help raise funds for the restoration. The restoration was completed and officially opened to the public in 1961 in honor of Prince Charles’ birthday.

After the independence of Antigua and Barbuda, the parliament made the dockyard and surrounding areas a national park. The national park encompasses a large area and continues to conduct important archaeological research. The park service’s work culminated with the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 2016. Over the past twenty years, the dockyard has been developed into a mixed-use complex. Aside from being an active marina for luxury yachts, there are many restaurants, shops, and a luxury hotel. It is difficult to describe what an unusual historic site this is.

The dockyard marina is definitely a popular stop for yachts of all sizes.

As a national park and a popular tourist site, Nelson Dockyard charges visitors admission fees. The public access to many public amenities is a bit of a mystery to me. To my understanding, visitors could access the site outside of the “official” opening hours. Outside of that period, the public should be able to access the site with a reservation with a hotel or restaurant. At $15 USD, the day pass was not cheap, but it also included access to other sites such as Shirley Heights, Blockhouse Point, and Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre. The park also offers a weekly pass for $45 USD. Because my hotel was within walking distance, I contemplated getting a weekly pass. To my surprise, the staff at the front desk offered to extend the validity of my day pass to the duration of my stay at the nearby hotel. It was a pleasant surprise.

The historic boat slip is now part of The Admiral's Inn.

After passing through the vendor-filled entry pavilion, I entered the historic section of the site. I must admit that I was quite confused by the overall layouts of the whole site. With so many private enterprises littered throughout the site, it was difficult to gauge when a historical site ends and the private businesses begin. I could not help feeling like a trespasser as I weaved through the nooks and crannies. One of the most recognizable landmarks is the remains of a former boat constructed in 1797. Today, two rows of granite pillars remain on either side of the boat slip. One segment of the original outrigger has been restored to give visitors a glimpse of how the structure might look in the past.

Nestled among this particular landmark is a boutique hotel: The Admiral's Inn. I must say it was a little odd to see how historical structures are integrated into the modern amenities of a hotel. There is something strange about seeing bright-colored kayaks and beach lounge chairs in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I would assume that UNESCO staff in their Paris headquarters must know this setup.

Some yachts in the dockyard are just out-of-this-world beautiful.

At the heart of the dockyard is an active Marina, which is bustling in modern times. In the port are various yachts of various sizes and types. Most were motor-powered vessels, with most appearing to be Americans. For whatever reason, there were about five or six yachts with the University of Michigan Wolverine flags. I even spotted a yacht registered to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, a landlocked city. That was weird. Being one of the most renowned marinas in the region, there was no shortage of impressive vessels lining the waterfront. There are even a couple of full-rigged ships, which must cost a fortune to maintain and operate. To see local workers doing repairs on these vessels brought visitors back to the time of Lord Nelson.

Despite the influx of mass tourism, a surprisingly large percentage of structures in the historical dockyard are still catered to arriving yachts. These supporting facilities include an immigration office, a grocery store, and a handy bakery. For lunch, I decided to grab a quick meal at The Galley Bar, perhaps the dockyard's most affordable eatery. I was pleasantly surprised that most of the patrons there were yacht owners. It was quite fun to overhear some of their conversations about their epic voyage across the ocean. They were a lot more entertaining than rich people's conversations back home in New York.

The prevailing architectural style of the dockyard is Georgian.

Navigating through the complex felt odd because so much of the dockyard remains an active commercial enterprise. You don’t know when the museum starts, and private property ends. But it is very exciting to see that the dockyard still functioned for its original purpose. It is ultimately the most sustainable way to preserve the site's history for future generations. To many Antiguans, the preservation of the dockyard is not a celebration or nostalgia for the British Empire but a tribute to the contribution of the enslaved Antiguans to the prosperity of Antigua. Perhaps acknowledging the role of slavery in the prosperity of modern Europe, the European Union provided significant financial support for the restoration of the dockyard in the early 2000s. The marina has a dedication plaque denoting the collaboration between Antigua and the European Union.

The historic Copper & Lumber Store Hotel.

One of the most beautiful structures in the dockyard is the former house of naval officers and clerks. The two-story house, surrounded by a veranda, is the most prestigious and is now to the Dockyard Museum. This tiny museum has excellent exhibits tracing the history of the English Harbor from pre-Columbian times to today. Various rooms are organized in roughly chronological order. It includes many interesting artifacts, such as ship models and repair tools used by the outfitters.

Some of the most eye-catching exhibits are two wooden statues of bare-breasted ladies. The ship “figurehead” was a common decoration at the ship's bow from the 16th to 20th century. They were originally meant to fend off the evil spirit and provide a safe journey, but they later evolved into a way to identify the vessel and a show of prestige. Regardless of the function, it is still weird to see naked women displayed at the front of the ship.

The contrast of beds for aristocrats and common soldiers.

Of course, the Dockyard Museum has a room dedicated to Lord Nelson. In a display case is his death mask. I could not stop wondering whether the general would be shocked if somebody told him that they would name the place he hated the most after him. But my favorite exhibit is one dedicated to the life of soldiers in the 18th century. The poor conditions were still shocking. Most soldiers slept on a metal stretcher on a mattress as thin as the cheapest IKEA duvet. The more I learned about history, the more grateful I am that we live in the modern era of relative comfort.

Before leaving the museum, visitors are encouraged to stop to admire a tall palm tree by the museum entrance. A nondescript palm tree named the Royal Palm was planted by Queen Elizabeth during the royal tour to the dockyard in 1966. The queen visited her country three times (1966, 1977, and 1985) during her seventy-year reign. This may sound a little naive, but I am surprised that she could not arrange more royal visits to her own country. Let’s see whether King Charles could manage a visit to his kingdom before it transformed into a republic. You can read more about the monarchy of Antigua and Barbuda in my blog post here.

Fort Berkeley & Galleon Beach

The British constructed a fortress at the mouth of English Harbor to better protect their prized harbor. Because of its strategic importance, Fort Berkeley is the oldest fortification in English Harbour, dating to 1704. It was constructed and initially operated by the local colonial regime, not the British Navy. From the dockyard, this fort doesn’t look all that impressive. From the center of the dockyard, it was a pleasant 15-minute hike through a beautiful nature trail. It is part of a larger trail network stretching to Pigeon Point Beach. Because the trailhead is somewhat hidden from view, not many visitors seem to bother to visit. There was hardly another person during my visit.

Fort Berkeley sits precariously at the mouth of the harbor.

From the tip of a narrow peninsula, the panoramic view of the English Harbour was breathtaking. Fort Berkeley was a perfect spot to watch vessels ferrying passengers in and out of the harbor. Since I had the place all to myself, I got to appreciate a moment of solitude and take in the ocean breeze. Right across the water is Galleon Beach, a stretch of white sand that hosts one of the many 5-star resorts in the area. Despite its pristine appearance nowadays, Galleon Beach was the site of a mass grave for British sailors who died of a yellow fever outbreak in the 18th century. The grave was unintentionally uncovered following a hurricane in 2010. With that in mind, sunbathing there was a little macabre.

Galleon Beach is technically a mass grave for British soldiers.

Given Fort Berkeley’s proximity to the ocean, a section of the sea wall has already collapsed into the sea. While the disrepair is unfortunate, it did add to the overall ambiance of the site. Even though Fort Berkeley is arguably the most strategic fortress in Antigua, the fort (and English Harbour) never came under enemy fire. I suppose the best kind of fortress could scare the enemy away in the first place.

Shirley Heights Lookout & Blockhouse Point

As popular as Nelson’s Dockyard is among tourists, I would say that Shirley Heights is the one place visitors go crazy for. Located high on a ridge above English Harbour, Shirley Heights is the tallest signal station in the area and offers a superb view of the entire region. From this spot, you could easily see the French island of Guadeloupe, the British island of Montserrat, and Antigua’s own island of Redonda, sometimes nicknamed “the Galapagos of the Caribbean.” The signal system in Antigua is superb and allows the troops to be mobilized quickly. According to the historical records, the island could be alerted by the signal from here in just ten minutes. Together with the sheltering quality English Harbour, they made Antigua one of the most defensible islands in the Caribbean.

The viewing platform of Shirley Heights Lookout.

Nowadays, the military lookout station has since been turned into a popular bar and restaurant. The restaurant holds a massive sunset party at the viewing platform every Thursday and Sunday. Often regarded as the best party in Antigua, the party drew both tourists and locals alike. Although no food or drink is included in the $10 USD admission, their drinks and barbecue prices are quite reasonable by Antigua’s standard. The party is anchored by characteristic Caribbean music from a big steel band. As touristy as it is, the sunset party at Shirley Heights lives up to its reputation, I must say.

Since I stayed in English Harbour during my visit to Antigua, Shirley Height was an easy drive from my hotel. I visited this spot four times during my five-day visit to the country. It speaks to what a special spot it is. I recommend visiting Shirley Heights on quiet days for anyone staying on the island's east side. It was remarkable that I got to have the whole place to myself at sunset on a different day. The contrast with the conviviality of the other day was jarring.

Shirley Heights could be a lonesome place after business hours.

I know there is no public bus or shuttle to Shirley Height. It was a grueling one-hour hike uphill without self-driving or taking a taxi. I regretted not offering a ride to a couple on my way up to see the sunset. I could easily imagine they underestimated how long a trek it is. There was no way they would make it to the sunset. Speaking of which, one of the most confusing things about Nelson’s Dockyard National Park is the issue of public access. Even though Shirley Heights Outlook is operated as a private business, visitors would be asked by the guard to present a day pass. However, it appeared that tickets are only required during business hours. You will find the entrance booth unattended if you come early or late.

Not far from Shirley Heights is a fortification often overlooked by visitors: The Blockhouse Point. Although it has no view of Nelson’s Dockyard, the views from the spot were amazing. Another component of the defensive system of English Harbour, the Blockhouse is several times bigger than Shirley Heights and is arguably just as impressive. The ruined structures are tastefully maintained if not fully restored. Oddy enough, the most frequently cited trivia about this place is that you could see the massive villa of Eric Clapton, the celebrated British guitarist. This 10,000-square-foot house perched at the tip of the Indian Creek peninsula and reportedly cost 14 million dollars to construct in 2000. You could even rent the villa with full staff for $50,000 a week!

Rum In The Ruins

For anyone with a degree of flexibility, I would recommend attending the weekly Rum In The Ruins. At 5 pm every Friday, an archaeologist from the National Park Service leads an archaeological talk just before sunset at Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre. As the name suggests, the tour price includes two cups of rum punch served among the ruins of fortress ruins. Well, what was not to love? Even though this weekly event technically requires a prior reservation (by e-mail), I did not see them checking people’s names against a list. Since they don’t accept prior payment, I think you might be able to join in without a reservation.

Dr. Christopher Waters, the National Park’s Heritage Department manager, conducted the talk on the day of my visit. The topic of the talk varies from week to week and could cover all aspects of Nelson’s Dockyard, from geology to preservation techniques. I have a hunch that many attendees of this event are local expats. They all seem to know each other and Dr. Waters on a first-name basis. This is an excellent excuse to hang out with friends and enjoy Antiguan rims. If you could learn something about the place you call home, all the better!

A cup of rum could make any subject interesting.

After getting our first drink, the talk began on the lower terrace. For this particular session, the main topic of this talk was the life of a British soldier stationed here. Back then, being a soldier in an “overseas” territory was not a glamorous career for most of them. Like the ROTC program in the United States, joining the military was seen as a viable career path for people with little financial means or limited upward mobility. In the 18th century, British soldiers in Antigua only received a couple of Schillings a day as a wage. The main form of payment was a daily pint of rum. All soldiers back then were drunk at all hours. That might be the best way to cope with stationing at a remote outpost like Antigua.

The second part of the talk took place on the observation platform above the ruin.

The real surprise for me was that soldiers back then were required to wear full military regalia daily. Despite being a tropical island, they must wear the same uniform as in England. I could only imagine how miserable and sweaty everyone was. It was not until the early 20th century that the British Navy began to relax its dress code and allowed sailors in the Caribbean to wear climate-appropriate attire. Together with the meager ration and the copious alcohol consumption, I am surprised the soldiers back could function on the battlefield at all.

Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre is another fortification that formed part of a larger defense system. Dow’s Hill often flies under the tourism radar compared to Shirley Heights or Blockhouse Point. Before its destruction by the 1834 earthquake, this was the residence of the most senior garrison officers and then the Governor of the Leeward Islands. The center’s mountain ridge location gave a panoramic view of the national park and a perfect place to enjoy the sunset. With the funding of the Canadian government, the fortress ruins were fully renovated and turned into a state-of-the-art museum. While the center was closed during my visit, I did get to take a peek inside.

The second portion of the talk took place on the observation platform above the ruins. But first, everyone got to redeem another drink ticket for another cup of rum punch. People had become more relaxed by this time, and the talk ended with a very long Q&A session. I honestly can’t think of a better way to watch the sunset in Antigua. Attending Rum In The Ruins toward the beginning of your trip to Antigua would be a good way to start out your trip. It provides a wide variety of insights into the history of this amazing island.

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Fort Berkeley & Galleon Beach

Shirley Heights Lookout & Blockhouse Point

Rum In The Ruins

At A Loss In Taroudant

The Curious Case of Moroccan Hospitality