Hanover-Special Attractions and Points of Interest

Fort Charlotte

Commanding the entrance to Lucea Harbour is the well-kept eighteen century Fort Charlotte named in 1778 to honour George 11’s Queen Charlotte. Prior to that year it is listed as Lucea Fort and was constructed in 1745. It was erected in defense of the harbour and stands on a peninsular over-looking the sea channel. In 1862, the English war office transferred the barracks and Fort Charlotte as a gift to the Executive Committee of Jamaica.

Lucea Harbour

It is considered to be one of the best in the island. Although small, ships from Kingston and Montego Bay sought refuge there during the hurricane of 1951, as it was considered one of the safest harbours. It is almost completely cut off from the sea, only being connected by a narrow channel at its entrance.

The Old Lucea Court House

Situated in the centre of the town , it is now used as the Lucea Town Hall.

Blenheim

Located 6.4 km (four miles) west of Lucea in Hanover Hills, this is the birthplace of National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante. The Jamaica National Heritage Trust acquired this three-acre property and the birthplace of our National Hero. It was reconstructed from descriptions of the original property given by a boyhood friend of Sir Alexander Bustamante and Sir Alexander Bustamante himself.

An annual celebration of the anniversary of his birthday is held in the square in Lucea and the house in Blenheim. The site of his home has been declared a National Monument.

Lucea Parish Church

The main structure of the Lucea Parish Church building dates back to the 18^th century. It was built in 1725 and is the oldest building in the parish of Hanover. It is said that a tunnel leads from underneath the church to nearby Fort Charlotte, which is approximately ¼ of a mile away.

Kenilworth

It is approximately 9 miles east of Lucea (1mile on the main highway). At Kenilworth lie the ruins of one of the best examples of industrial architecture of the past – an old sugar factory and distillery. This is now the site for the Human Employment and Resource National Training Agency (HEART/NTA)

The Tryall Estate and Great House

This can be found on the main road between Hopewell and Sandy Bay just bordering the golf course there. It has been maintained as an attraction with a

Golf Course and Tennis and Beach Club. It is also the site of the Johnny Walker Golf Tournament.

Still to be found on the property are nineteenth century gravestone fragments, the ruins of a sugar works including a huge cast iron water wheel that still turns, an old cast iron boiler and a beautiful brick structure chimney.

Barbican Estate

This is located along the coast. It was originally a sugar estate. It houses the remains of a Great House, a windmill and a sugar factory. The estate dates back to the early eighteenth century. Although in ruins, these buildings have maintained their imposing structure and together with the other relics add to the old grandeur of the estate.

Belvidere Estate

Although Belvidere Estate is located in the parish of Hanover, it is in close proximity to Montego Bay, the capital of St. James. The estate was once a sugar plantation that produced sugar, rum and molasses for export to England and the United States.

At present the estate is used as a citrus plantation and heritage attraction. A daily tour of the living history museum is also provided. Visitors are shown the operation of some equipment necessary for the functioning of an eighteenth – nineteenth century estate, for example the blacksmith’s bellows and an operable sugar mill furnace for the production of wet sugar.

The Hanover Museum

It is situated on the site of an old barracks and workhouse for women, that later became a prison and police headquarters. Here the story of the parish is beautifully told through storyboards, artifacts and other memorabilia donated by citizens or purchased through grant funding.

The museum grounds have a gift shop stocked with craft and heritage souvenirs, rest facilities, a café, offices for the three volunteer staff and a lecture/exhibition room. The building has been declared protected by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust that has given the Historical Society a 21-year lease on the property for a small sum.

This followed the Hanover historical Society’s efforts to save the building from demolition by proving its historic worth, indicating that the structure was around in the 1770s.

The Hanover museum is a member of the Association of the Caribbean. It has the distinction of having been recognized by UNESCO.

The Chilean Ambassador to Jamaica, Adolfo Caraft visited the museum in April 1997 and conducted a special lecture highlighting the slaves’ experience in his country. The Ambassador also presented to the museum, replicas of pieces from the Spanish period from the pre-Colombian History Museum of Santiago, including ceramics and craft items linked to the Indian culture in his country along with a gift of Chilean wine.

Unusual Place Names

Animal Hills

Home to the Hoggs, Deer and Lamb family.