Antigua - Exploring English Harbour & Nelson's Dockyard
Nimue
Sun 6 Mar 2011 15:28
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English Harbour and Nelson’s dockyard is one of the best known and most
popular tourist sights in Antigua and from our experience it is clear to see
why.
The port and dockyard installations were built between 1725
and 1746 and became Britain’s main naval station in the Lesser
Antilles. Nelson was stationed here in 1784 and eventually took over as
naval commander. Apparently Nelson did not enjoy Antigua and was resented
for insisting on enforcing the Navigation Act, which meant he kept the port
closed to trade for all but British ships. The dockyard was abandoned by
the Royal Navy in 1889 following a decline in Antigua’s economic and strategic
importance to the British Crown.
When a retired British naval officer, Captain Nicholson sailed
into English Harbour in 1947, the dockyard was in ruins. He was behind the
first moves to restore the ruins into a life closely paralleling its old one –
that of an active dockyard, which was suitably named after Nelson. The result is
that today, the whole of Nelson’s Dockyard has been beautifully re-constructed
to house hotels, restaurants and businesses managed by the Nelson’s Dockyard
National Park. It is also the only working Georgian marina in the western
hemisphere and is an outstanding historic monument and a fitting scene for
Antigua’s main port of arrival for yachts. We anchored Nimue opposite Fort
Berkeley overlooking the western entrance, which served at the harbour’s first
line of defence. A single cannon still symbolises the once inviolable
English Harbour. On the opposite side of the entrance are the imposing
fortifications of Shirley Heights and Fort Shirley Battery, which dominate the
sea approaches.
Michael was keen to visit the small naval museum located in
the Old Admirals House in English Harbour. This was well worth a visit and
we saw an abundance of nautical memorabilia and a room devoted to Lord Nelson
himself. We also toured the other sights in Nelson’s Dockyard, including
the remains of the famous stone pillars, the last remains of the old Boat House
and Sail loft.
  Lord Nelson and a room dedicated to him
in the museum
  Michael standing to attention and Anne
pretending to be Lord Nelson
The Copper and Lumber Store Hotel
With a dinghy dock right outside!
One of the restored buildings
The Boat House and Sail
Loft Pillars (1 above and 7 pictures below)
 
The Museum located in the restored Admiral’s House   A transatlantic rowing yacht
– The Womble
Michael testing out
winches! (replicas of old capstans)
A Restaurant located up the stairs
Restored building housing
small supermarket and offices
Next instalment – Shirley
Heights
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