St. Catherine: quiet and lovely...

Having left St. Andrew just after Kingston we drive into St. Catherine. To the tourist St. Catherine is a relatively unknown parish. Perhaps the name Spanish Town does ring a bell as the greater part of this parish is passing the visitor.
Alas, because nevertheless St. Catherine has, besides a beautiful name, some very interesting curiosities to show.

Awarak museum
The first one we meet rather quickly along the A1. Just for Spanish Town you find on the right side the White Marl Awarak Museum. Once, on this spot remainders of an Awarak settlement were found here. This settlement is the biggest, that is found up to now.
Apart from some remainders of the settlement itself you can look at a wealth of articles of use. The museum is set up in a cottage like the Awarak built themselves.

Villa de la Vega
Shortly hereafter you come to Spanish Town. The former capital of Jamaica now is the capital of St. Catherine and at the same time an important junction. The A1 turns to the right here into the inland direction St. Ann's Bay and Ocho Rios to the north coast and goes straight on to change into the A2, direction west. Although the village, seen from the A1, looks very unsightly we like to allure you to a visit.
Spanish Town played an important role in Jamaica's history. After the Spaniards found out that life in Sevilla de Nueva on the north coast was not too healthy for them they departed and draw away to the south where Diego Columbus (yes… indeed the son of…) founded Villa de la Vega in 1534.


The town became a very important trade center that survived the plundering and destruction by the English many years later.
There is not very much left of the original Spanish building, but far more of the English. The Georgian style can be found back everywhere. Around the Square, the heart of Spanish Town, many buildings that remind of an illustrious past can be seen. Anyhow, we found the arcade of the in 1762 built Parish Council Office impressive. Kings House on the other side of the road was built in the same year (and burnt down for a great part in 1925) and the Cathedral of St Jago de la Vega, once was named Cathedral de St. Iago de la Vega. The English destroyed the main part of this church but it is still a visit worth yet.

A flat bridge
As said before in Spanish Town the A1 turns to the north. This probably the most important route between the north coast and the south coast is well passable and varied.
About 10 km after Spanish Town the road becomes accompanied of the Rio Cobre. The road takes a limestone canyon (Bog Walk Gorge) where the walls are abundantly provided with tropical plants. You pass the Flat Bridge, which was built some time in the 18th century. The narrow bridge with only one carriageway strikes a bit odd in the middle of the canyon. When you have to wait for the stoplight it is no need to die of hunger. From all directions tropical fruit is offered to you.

On the crossing of the rivers Thomas, D'Oro and Pedro you will find Bog Walk, one of the oldest villages of Jamaica. During the colonial period it was an important stop on the road from north to south.
A little further we come in Linstead, a busy market town. The market is kept around a bell-tower, which was tortured by several hurricanes, and at least got its final, present shape in 1911.
In Linstead you can go to the right up the B13, known as Devil's Race Course. The name gives it away: the road is miserable and only laid down for daredevils. The route is beautiful and leads via sugarcane fields and banana plantations up in the mountains to Guy's Hill, the point where St. Catherine, St. Ann and St. Mary meet.
But, once again, think twice before starting and keep a sharp look out.

Worthy Park Great House
Following the A1 to the north you pass Ewarton where a big aluminum factory is settled. Because of this industry the village is reasonably prosperous. Just north of Ewarton you cross the border with St. Ann. In Ewarton itself you can turn tot the left direction Worthy Park Great House.


Ring my bell
Back in Spanish Town we follow the A2 to the west. Near Grove Farm you can go to the right to Coleburns Gully into the central highlands. You will arrive at Mountain River Cave with mural paintings of the Awaraks.

Before entering Clarendon we first come in Old Harbour, famous because of the iron bell tower in Victorian style. On Jamaica you can find more of these bell towers but the one in Old Harbour is in good condition that cannot be said of most of the other ones.
A female inhabitant of the town told us that this tower is the only one that always gives the right time. Indeed this was the case the times we were in Old Harbour. The market in Old Harbour is crowded and takes an important place in the region.

The castle
Just north of Old Harbour are the remainders of Colbeck Castle. It is not quite sure but it is told that the castle is built by Colonel John Colbeck and served as a defensive work. It is said that it once was the biggest building in the Caribbean area but there is not much left of it.
However it can still be seen that it was a huge building and the slavery stays, which are underground, look reasonable good shaped every here and there.

Situated on the coast, south of Old Harbour is Old Harbour Bay with the biggest fish-market of the south coast. Not far to the west Port Esquivel is situated from where the semi-manufactured articles from the Aluminum Factory in Ewarton are shipped to the rest of the world.
In the sea opposite Old Harbour Bay are the Goat Islands. An American navy base was settled here on the bigger of the two islands during world war two.
Local fishermen now use the huts. Between the mangroves are a few little beaches.

St. Catherine is not typical touristic but perhaps that's why it is nice to visit it once. In this parish there are sufficient possibilities for a good meal and stays overnight and it can be a good opportunity for trips to the surrounding parishes.