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Falmouth
For
the architecture or heritage buff, the coastal town of Falmouth
in Trelawny is a virtual goldmine.
In the late 1700s, when sugar was ‘King’ and the
profits from the sweet gold made the fortunes of men, families
and nations, Falmouth was an elegant centre of commerce. Today,
the bustling, tight-knit town is but a shadow of its former
self with hues of its past opulence and majesty.
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A
sugar boom in Trelawny led directly
to the creation of Falmouth. It began during the mid-1700s,
after a peace treaty between the British colonists and
the Maroons, the independent guerrilla rebels of the hills,
allowed sugar estates to be run without the threat of
invasion. |
The high sucrose content of the land, naturally irrigated
by the many springs flowing from the nearby Cockpit Country,
lured more and more planters to the area, and by 1773, when
Trelawny was made its own parish, there were over eighty sugar
plantations in operation.
Falmouth, named for the birthplace of the
then governor, Sir William Trelawny, started as the brainchild
of Edward Moulton Barrett, the great-grandfather of the famous
poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Barrett, a wealthy planter
and merchant at the time, laid out the plans for the development
of the town on a piece of property he owned, then called Palmetto
Point; at the time it was the only planned urban centre on
the island. By 1793 there were close to 150 palatial residences,
some the townhouses of planters from adjoining districts,
others the fashionable two-storey homes above the shops of
merchants who dominated the portside economy. There were also
the more humble dwellings of artisans, servants and slaves
who formed the backbone of the economy.
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In
its heyday, Falmouth was considered to be the most cosmopolitan
city in the western world, the ‘Paris of the Indies’.
The town had five newspapers, an active literary and
fine arts society and – arguably its most distinctive
attribute – fresh running water pumped from the
Martha Brae River and piped from a reservoir in the
centre of town into homes and other buildings. It was
also home to a vast number of merchant shops and traders
selling slaves, sugar, rum, fine furniture and logwood
as well as the Albert George Market, the largest and
most popular coastal market at the time.
Since
those times, Falmouth has maintained a long and distinguished
reputation as a centre for commerce, both in the formal
and informal sectors. Today the market is still one
of the largest and most attended – especially
on Wednesdays – when traders from all over the
island congregate on the streets for ‘Bend-down
market’. On Wednesdays, consumers can purchase
all sorts of foodstuff, haberdashery and home items
at some of the best prices available on the north coast.
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In the late 1800s, following the demise of
sugar as a globally lucrative agricultural product, Falmouth
began a steady decline in importance, and soon the harbour
which once welcomed close to thirty ships in one day, saw
fewer than that in a month.
Now
the sugar money is long gone, but many of the splendid original
buildings remain, some in ruins, others masterfully restored
to their former glory. In recognition of its rich historical
legacy, Falmouth has been declared a World Heritage Site by
the United Nations, and is a Jamaican National Monument. Slowly,
the town is being restored, one building at a time, and most
residents expect that in the near future their town will once
again be the most fashionable and cosmopolitan city in the
Caribbean.
Until such time, Falmouth will continue to be a centre of
commerce on the north coast, and certainly deserving of the
attention it periodically receives. The town still exudes
a spirit of grandeur, and a walk through town reveals charm
and grace where once was wealth and prosperity.
Interesting
Story
Most of the town of Falmouth lies on land below
sea level, and shortly after the town was built, concerns
about the purity of the water supply were raised, particularly
because most residents accessed their water from wells dug
to the same level as pit latrines. In 1798 a committee, formed
to explore solutions to the water problem, devised what was
then a marvellous breakthrough. The Falmouth Water Company,
the group instituted to install and manage the works, built
a Persian Water Wheel on the nearby Martha Brae River. The
water wheel scooped up hundreds of gallons of water, transferring
it via metal pipes to a reservoir in the centre of the town
square. From the reservoir, water was piped into buildings
around town. There was even a connection to a pump on the
dockyard so that ships could replenish their fresh water supplies
without crewmembers leaving the wharf!
The
development of the Falmouth water supply system is just one
indicator of the wealth and grandeur of the town. In the eighteenth
century few cities around the world had piped water, even
the much larger cities in North America like New York City
were behind the times in this area.
Famous For
The town of Falmouth certainly contains the largest
collection of Georgian style buildings in the country; some
estimates, however, claim this collection is also the largest
in the West Indies! The number aside, some of the finest representations
of buildings from the period are to be found here, and each
of these structures tells a unique tale of different people's
lifestyles and of the economic and social significance of
the town better than any written record could represent.
Over
the years, some of these very telling structures have
fallen into disrepair, but slowly this trend is changing.
A committee of professionals, academics and concerned
citizens formed the Falmouth Restoration Corporation,
and this small group has been managing and overseeing
the restoration process of buildings around town, on
a case-by-case basis.
Perhaps
the most encouraging trend in the restoration of the
town is the fact that not only are large public buildings
and the grand stately homes of the merchant and planter
classes being restored, but the small private homes
of members of the working classes, of the emancipated
slaves and skilled artisans. For now, and quite possibly
for a long time to come, the restoration of Falmouth
will be a work-in-progress, but over time and following
the established trend, the town will once again be the
vibrant, graceful urban centre it was once.
Must
See
Although the best way to capture the essence
of Falmouth is to do a complete walking tour, there
are some buildings that stand out, even more so after
restoration. One such building is the Baptist Manse
on Market Street near the waterfront, an imposing stone
structure with a stately wooden staircase. Reputed to
have housed the first Masonic Temple in Jamaica, this
building has changed hands many times. Perhaps, its
most notable owner was Revd. William Knibb, famous Baptist
preacher and abolitionist. Today it is a flagship structure
in the town’s restoration. The completed project
will not only contribute to the physical renewal of
the town, but also to the cultural revival of the community.
The lower level of the building will house a community-based
initiative, while the upper level will be an art gallery
displaying the work of local artists.
Say
Hello To
Say hello to Dr. Jim Parrent, Executive Director
of the Falmouth Heritage Renewal is the man in town
to speak to. Under his leadership the restoration of
many homes and buildings in the town has been undertaken
and completed, and that is just a tiny part of his contribution
to the town!
Depending
on his schedule, he may guide you on a walking tour
of Falmouth, or put you in touch with a trained guide
attached to the Jamaica Heritage Trail, a community-based
agency designed to stimulate interest in the heritage
and architectural legacy of the town. Ask anyone around
town where to find him, and if someone does not recognize
the name, ask for "the white man who fixes the
houses around town". You'll find him. |
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Glistening
Waters
Home to the world famous " Luminous Lagoon"
It’s the beginning of a nighttime rain shower at the
“Luminous Lagoon” in Rock, Trelawny. Slow and
deliberate drops hit the lagoon’s surface, making small
fluorescent green circles that shine on the dark water. As
the rain gets heavier and the drops more persistent, the entire
lagoon ignites with a bright green glow.
Without the rain, the lagoon is no less dramatic.
Green sparks fly from hundreds of fishes swimming, and surround
boats and people passing through the luminous waters.
The glow comes from small micro-organisms
that emit a flash of light when disturbed. Jamaica’s
Luminous Lagoon is one of four places in the world where these
micro-organisms live and create this natural phenomena, known
as bioluminescence. It’s said that out of the four,
the Luminous Lagoon is the brightest in the world –
a fact that has and continues to awe scientists and visitors
alike.
The “Luminous Lagoon” stretches
along the marshlands from the small community of Rock to the
town of Falmouth, Trelawny. Over the years, scientists from
around the world have come to the Luminous Lagoon to investigate
the phenomena. Their research shows the lagoon is the best
place to see these micro-organisms, called dinoflagellates
or pryodinium bahamene, because of two reasons. Firstly, there
are literally millions of tiny micro-organisms living in the
lagoon. The lagoon is formed at the point where the Martha
Brae River meets the Caribbean Sea, and the dinoflagellates
thrive in the layers where the salt and fresh water combine.
The organisms glow brightest in shallow, warm water, and generally
the lagoon is about 3-4 feet deep, and only 8 feet at its
deepest point.
Boat tours of the lagoon are available every
night from Glistening Waters Restaurant and Marina. The 45-minute
tour takes you around the edges of the lagoon. On the quiet
lagoon, everything seems to sparkle – the boat rips
through the water creating a fluorescent wake, bright outlines
of fishes zip through the water, and lights flicker from distant
towns and the stars overhead. Throughout the tour, your guide
will recount the lagoon’s facts and tales. He will also
take you to the nesting ground of cattle egrets, where you’ll
see thousands of white birds perched in the mangrove trees.
The
highlight of the tour comes when the boat anchors near the
middle of the lagoon, so you can swim. “I’ve never
lost a tourist,” boasts the guide, “you glow where-ever
you are, so you’re easy to find!” And it’s
true – as you slip into the warm and calm water, all
around your body lights up and a green glow flashes as you
glide through the water. The swim is both exhilarating and
fascinating!
Before
or after the tour or in the evenings, dine or have a
cocktail at Glistening Waters Restaurant, which serves
tasty Jamaican cuisine. By day, Glistening Waters also
offers deep-sea fishing tours, and sunset booze cruise
tours between the Marina and Montego Bay.
Glistening
Waters’ “Luminous Lagoon” is one of
the most incredible spots in the world. The glowing
lagoon will amaze you and fill you with wonder, and
is a sight not to be missed!
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