Overview:

: Sunbury Plantation Great House is a large plantation manor located in Saint Philip parish, Barbados. Built in 1660, it is one of the oldest surviving Great Houses in the Caribbean. It has been declared a historic site and is open to the public as a museum, showcasing colonial life in Barbados. Visitors can explore the house and its grounds, learn about how it was used, and its various holdings over the years. Sunbury has a rich and unique history – it has seen sugar and tobacco cultivation, served the British military as a defensive position, and survived the ravages of two hurricanes. Its existence is a rare glimpse into the past of Barbados’ plantation life and culture. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Barbados
Prominent Features:

The Sunbury Plantation Great House in St. Philip, Barbados is a national monument built in the 1600s. It is one of the oldest and best preserved Jacobean mansions in the Caribbean. The house is two storeys high with a grand entrance and two wings. The house is filled with antique furniture from the 1700 and 1800s. Its interior features include mahogany paneling and Venetian plaster work. The grounds of the house feature three acres of lush tropical garden with mature trees and pathway. Sunbury Plantation also contains a unique collection of historic artifacts, including silver, china, jewelry, maps, coins and other objects. Visitors can also explore the adjacent cemetery with a sunken floor of engraved headstones and monuments which date back to 1660. The Sunbury Plantation Great House is open to the public, offering tours and educational programs. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Barbados.

History:

Sunbury Plantation Great House is a historic plantation house located in Saint Philip, Barbados. The house was built circa 1660 and is the oldest plantation great house in Barbados. Sunbury was home to three generations of the Sewell family, until it was sold in 1798. It was purchased by St. Benedict College in 1937 and is now a national heritage site overseen by the Barbados National Trust. The house was built on the remains of an earlier wooden sugar mill, which was used until the mid-17th century. It was built in the Tudor architectural style, which was popular in Barbados at the time. Sunbury has a jettied gable roof with pediment windows supported on brackets. The front facade features seven sets of double-hung sash windows. The original grounds at Sunbury consisted of two acres of land with the house at its center. Surrounding the house were a range of outbuildings, such as a cow stable, a blacksmith’s forge, a kitchen garden, and a great storeroom. In the mid-18th century, the Sewell family expanded the plantation to roughly 470 acres by acquiring adjacent lands. As the plantation grew in size and importance, so too did Sunbury Plantation Great House. In the 1790s, the house was expanded with two wings added to its structure. The house underwent several changes in the 19th century. In 1824, a new entrance was added, as well as a south staircase, a new wing, and a new second-story balcony. In the 1840s and 1850s, more renovations were made to the house, such as a basement and a new roof. In 1937, Sunbury was purchased by St. Benedict College and used as a teacher-training college. Since then, the building has been well preserved and is now used as a museum showcasing the history of the plantation. It is also a popular destination for weddings and other special events. Visit one of the famous monuments of Barbados with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. Sunbury Plantation Great House is the oldest intact plantation house in Barbados. It was built in 1660 by Colonel Wilmott Eliot and refurbished in the eighteenth century. 2. The restored Great House, which is featured on Barbados stamps and banknotes, is one of the best-preserved historic homes on the island, with ancient mahogany finishes, early English and Dutch furniture and furniture from all over the Caribbean. 3. It was once owned by Eleazor Eddy, the first Chief Justice of Barbados from 1812 to 1813. 4. The House stands in the centre of a large sugar cane field, among ancient cannons from the English Civil War that were used for sugar production. 5. During the 18th century, Sunbury Great House was one of the most important sugar plantations in Barbados, and the estate employed around 300 slaves at its peak. 6. In its heyday, the House was rumored to have entertained the famous novelist and statesman, Sir Walter Scott, and maps from the 1750s appear to support this claim. 7. The grounds also feature a stable block, a tropical garden, and you may see agouti, tortoises, peacocks, and parrots in the area. 8. In 2011, Sunbury Plantation Great House was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is currently owned by the Barbados National Trust. One of the historical monuments of Barbados, it tells the story of a bygone era