Admiral Horatio Nelson's headquarters from 1784 to 1787, and a strategic naval base for the British Royal Navy in colonial Antigua, this historical complex lies 11 miles southeast of St. John's in English Harbour. Built in the 1740s by Antigua's plantation slaves out of stone and ship ballast, the restored dockyard, now a vital yachting center, is the only Georgian naval base still in use. Then-Captain Horatio Nelson spent just three years here; the future naval hero was not impressed, famously calling Antigua a "dreadful hole." The complex includes dockyard ruins, the Victorian-style Dockyard Museum (daily 9am–5pm), Shirley Heights, the 1806 commissioner residence Clarence House, nature trails, and the Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre, a naval battery reborn as a scenic lookout with a multimedia presentation on the island's history, "Reflections of the Sun." The park is also home to two charming inns, the Admiral's Inn and the Copper & Lumber Store Hotel, both impressively restored.
Antigua
Travel Guide
Antigua› Attraction
Nelson's Dockyard National Park
English Harbour
Our Rating
Neighborhood
English Harbour
Hours
Daily 9am–6pm
Phone
268/481-5022
Prices
Admission $8, includes entrance to Nelson's Dockyard, Shirley Heights, and Dow's Hill Historical Centre
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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.