St. George Parish

The Town of St. George

King's Square, also called Market Square and King's Parade, is the center of life in St. George. It holds the colorful White Horse Tavern, where you may want to stop for a drink after your tour of the town.

The street names in St. George evoke its history. Petticoat Lane (sometimes called Silk Alley) reputedly got its name when two newly emancipated slaves paraded up and down the lane rustling their colorful new silk petticoats. Barber's Lane is also named for a former slave. It honors Joseph Hayne Rainey, a freedman from the Carolinas who fled to Bermuda during the Civil War aboard a blockade runner and became a barber. After the war, he returned to the United States and was elected to Congress, becoming the first black member of the House of Representatives during Reconstruction.

The St. George branch of the Visitors Service Bureau is in the Cyber Cafe at the corner of Water Street and Penno's Wharf (tel. 441/297-1642); it's open Monday through Saturday 9am to 5pm. Here you can get a map, transportation passes for the bus and ferry, and other information before setting out to explore. The bureau is to the right of the Town Hall, on the waterfront.

If you're pressed for time, don't worry that you're missing out if you skip interior visits to the sights listed. The entire town of St. George, with its quaint streets and old buildings, is the attraction, not just one particular monument. If you have time to visit only one attraction's interior, make it St. Peter's Church. Otherwise, just wander around, do a little shopping, and soak in the atmosphere.

To reach these attractions, take bus no. 1, 3, 8, 10, or 11 from the City of Hamilton.

St. George: A World Heritage Site -- Historic St. George and its related fortifications are now a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO. The architecturally rich, 400-year-old town joins such select sites as the Great Wall of China, Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal, and historic center of Florence.

As the oldest continuously inhabited town of English origin in the Western Hemisphere, St. George and its surrounding buildings, monuments, and structures illustrate the residents' lifestyles through the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Historic St. George remains in authentic condition, featuring unique and diverse examples of Bermudian architecture spanning the past 4 centuries. The town's various forts are like a textbook illustrating British artillery and the changing styles of fort architecture from 1612 to 1956.

Historic Forts That Never Saw Much Action

From its earliest days, St. George has been fortified. Although it never saw much military action, reminders of that history are interesting to explore. Take Circular Drive to reach the forts, on the outskirts of town. As forts go, these two are of relatively minor interest (unless, of course, you're a fort buff -- in that case, be our guest). If you have time for only one fort on Bermuda, Fort Hamilton on Happy Valley Road is the most intriguing.

Along the coast is Building Bay, where the shipwrecked victims of the Sea Venture built their vessel, the Deliverance, in 1610.

Special Places Where You Can Be Alone: St. David's Island

Bermuda is both popular and small -- but that doesn't mean that you can't escape the crowds and find peace and serenity in a lovely spot, hopefully with someone you love.

Part of St. George's Parish, St. David's is Bermuda "the way it was." Virtually unknown to the average visitor, it awaits your discovery. This is real down-home Bermuda -- it's said that some St. David's Islanders have never even visited "mainland" Bermuda. You can begin your walk at Great Head Park in the eastern part of St. David's, southeast of the cricket fields. At the end of the parking lot, follow the trail into a wooded area filled with cherry trees and palmettos. After about 225m (738 ft.), bear right at the fork. Eventually you'll spot St. David's Lighthouse, an octagonal red-and-white tower in the distance to the southwest. The trail forks left until you come to a ruined garrison with a panoramic sea view. It's one of the remotest, loveliest spots on the island -- and, chances are, you'll have it all to yourself.