Nelson's Dockyard

Attraction | "Nelson's Dockyard Gift Shop"

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Adjoined to the Dockyard Musuem in Nelson's Dockyard is a small gift shop which contains a surprisingly large number of items for sale, catering for souvenirs or something more useful in everyday life. The room is literally packed with all sorts of momentos, from pirate themed door signs to various wall ornaments.If you're interested in something a bit different from the regular key ring or magnet, I found a decent collection of Caribbean dolls on display in the store. These wooden dolls are wonderfully carved, but their most striking feature is the brightly colourled outfit which is painted on each one.These dolls appear to be dressed in old time local clothing such as flowing...Read More

Adjoined to the Dockyard Musuem in Nelson's Dockyard is a small gift shop which contains a surprisingly large number of items for sale, catering for souvenirs or something more useful in everyday life. The room is literally packed with all sorts of momentos, from pirate themed door signs to various wall ornaments.

If you're interested in something a bit different from the regular key ring or magnet, I found a decent collection of Caribbean dolls on display in the store. These wooden dolls are wonderfully carved, but their most striking feature is the brightly colourled outfit which is painted on each one.

These dolls appear to be dressed in old time local clothing such as flowing skirts in polka dot print, with cloth bandanas covering their heads, and large hoop earrings drawn in their ears. The artists really capture the essence of how the local ladies used to dress, and to a smaller extent, this mode of dress is still seen today at the Saturday Market in St. Johns.

Vibrantly coloured trinkets such as carved fish and houses are available, but I loved to see the many Caribbean themed picture frames on display. The frames represent various scenes of Antiguan life, and different types of natural materials were used to make them.

For the ladies, woven handbags are being sold in a variety of styles and colours. Some are made from straw, and others from materials such as nankeen cloth featuring vivid paintings.

Prices vary dramtically, as some ornaments may be sold for approximately US$6, and others have price tags in the vicinity of $20 and upwards. It may be cheaper to buy momentos from the souvenir vendors located outside of the dockyard itself, but the quality of the products in the gift shop is more likely to be higher.

Opening hours are from 8am to 5pm, once the Dockyard Museum is open. It's a fascinating shop to browse in, filled with knick knacks and lots of ornaments. Who knows? Maybe you'll find something that catches your fancy, but it's definitely worth a look regardless. Read Less

Nelson's Dockyard
English Harbour
Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda
(268) 460-7976

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Shirley's Heights Look Out

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The columns at the edge of Shirley Heights Photo - Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda

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If you ask anyone who has visited Antigua, the question of where has the best view on the island, the unanimous answer will be Shirley Heights. Perched on a hilltop overlooking Nelson's Dockyard and Falmouth Harbour is one of Antigua's most well known landmarks. The panoramic 360 degree vista is exceptional, and getting there is quite easy, as all of the island tours make a stop at this site which is part of the Nelson's Dockyard.Given that Shirely Heights is located on one of the steeper hills in the country, the journey there is on a long and narrow winding lane, which begins in the village of English Harbour. Don't expect to overtake any vehicles on the way, as there are steep drops in ...Read More

If you ask anyone who has visited Antigua, the question of where has the best view on the island, the unanimous answer will be Shirley Heights. Perched on a hilltop overlooking Nelson's Dockyard and Falmouth Harbour is one of Antigua's most well known landmarks. The panoramic 360 degree vista is exceptional, and getting there is quite easy, as all of the island tours make a stop at this site which is part of the Nelson's Dockyard.

Given that Shirely Heights is located on one of the steeper hills in the country, the journey there is on a long and narrow winding lane, which begins in the village of English Harbour. Don't expect to overtake any vehicles on the way, as there are steep drops in some sections. The further up you drive, the more arid the vegetation becomes with cacti and acacia trees dotting the landscape. Look out for the island's national shrub called the Yucca plant, as it flourishes in dry regions.

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, there's an alternative way of getting to the top. There's an off-road route commly known as the 'Lookout Trail' which leads from Galleon Beach to Shirley Heights. This isn't an easy hike, as the terrain is quite uneven, with a few large rocks to climb over. Be sure to walk with proper footwear, to lower the risk of injury.

After arriving at the top, the first thing you'll notice is the large shed under which several vendors ply their trade. Local art work, pairs of brightly painted maracas and small souvenir are displayed for sale, and cold beverages are sold in coolers to help with battling the harsh rays of the Caribbean sun.

My favourite part of Shirley Heights however, is the Lookout. Right on the edge of a cliff which is guarded by stone pillars is where I love to stand and take in the magnificent seascape. From this point, you can see the two main harbours, on either side on a hilly peninsula. The scenery is truly picturesque, and the view is featured on many Antiguan postcards and international tourism brochures.

Several blockhouses and cannons serve as reminders of the signifacant role the fort played in Antigua's history, and one of the buildings has been fully restored and now houses a restaurant and bar. Lunch or dinner can be ordered, and several benches outside provide a great setting for guests to have a picnic while enjoying the sights.

Shirley Heights Lookout is a fantastic place to hang out during the day, or a lively place to dance during it's weekly Sunday BBQ party. There's a really good reason why people return time and time again, and you should pay a visit to see it for yourself. Read Less

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The Dockyard Grounds

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One of the guard houses Photo - Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda

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The grounds of Nelson's Dockyard appears to be an actual museum all by itself. To think that all of the buildings I pass by were standing there for hundreds of years, with only slight restoration attempts made, brings about a sense of awe. It's as if I've been mentally transported to the era which has shaped Antiguan into what it is today.On entering the site, I walked through a narrow entryway, flanked by a large brick and mortar building on one side, and a craggy cliff face on the other. In some parts, the cliff face was covered with overhanging vegetation, brittle and dry from the ongoing drought which was taking its toll on the island. The entrance to the Dockyard is flanke...Read More

The grounds of Nelson's Dockyard appears to be an actual museum all by itself. To think that all of the buildings I pass by were standing there for hundreds of years, with only slight restoration attempts made, brings about a sense of awe. It's as if I've been mentally transported to the era which has shaped Antiguan into what it is today.

On entering the site, I walked through a narrow entryway, flanked by a large brick and mortar building on one side, and a craggy cliff face on the other. In some parts, the cliff face was covered with overhanging vegetation, brittle and dry from the ongoing drought which was taking its toll on the island.

The entrance to the Dockyard is flanked by two guardhouses which were built in 1778. A wooden gate once stood between them, and this gate now resides in the Dockyard Museum. These guardhouses once served as a form of security for the dockyard, and the enforcers were gorverned by a long list of rules, which is also being exhibited in the musuem.

After passing the guardhouses, I noticed many tall, black Victorian styled streetlamps lining the various paths throughout the grounds. These stand testament to the heavy British influence on the twin island state.

Several steel cannons, some real and others faux, are placed all about the lawn and small notice boards stand nearby, offering various tidbits of information on the cannons and other objects. A miniature imitation cannon on wheels was even parked in a large hollow within a rocky ridge, as a reminder that the entire dockyard was once a fully operational fortress manned by soldiers.

The green carpet of lawn is only interrupted by random small patches of flowers and shrubs, which are obviously pruned and cared for my a skilled gardener. All of the vegetation on display are found all around Antigua, and the flowers being in full bloom added an aesthetic quality to the property.

The gardens and pathways were formed around several buildings, which served various purposes back in the day. The red bricks used in the construction of said buildings, reminded me that they were built for withstanding attacks from foreign nations.

Throughout the dockyard, many different maritime artifacts are scattered about, but one in particular grabbed my attention. A massive black ship's anchor was laid to rest on the ground near one of the buildings, and its sheer size helped me to get a better idea of how enormous those battle ships must have been! To think how the ships were built in an age without even half of the equipment we have at hand today was mindblowing.

To get up close and personal with the history of the Caribbean Sea, all you need to do is to take a stroll about the grounds of Nelson's Dockyard. Pieces of the past lie all around for you to behold, and it's an experience I won't forget anytime soon. Read Less

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Nelson's Dockyard

Attraction | "The Dockyard Museum"

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The Dockyard Museum was established in 1997 to pay special homage to the many sailors and settlers who lived and worked at Nelson's Dockyard during the 19th century. The building which now houses the museum was built in 1855, and restoration efforts have kept it in its appreciable condition today.The wooden building appears rather unassuming from the outside, as it resembles a typical home apart from the wooden sculpture of Admiral Nelson, placed above the doorway. Despite its appearance, on stepping inside, you'll realize that there's quite a considerable amount of glass structures, housing a wide array of nautical remains and other archaelogical finds which were retrieved from the surrou...Read More

The Dockyard Museum was established in 1997 to pay special homage to the many sailors and settlers who lived and worked at Nelson's Dockyard during the 19th century. The building which now houses the museum was built in 1855, and restoration efforts have kept it in its appreciable condition today.

The wooden building appears rather unassuming from the outside, as it resembles a typical home apart from the wooden sculpture of Admiral Nelson, placed above the doorway. Despite its appearance, on stepping inside, you'll realize that there's quite a considerable amount of glass structures, housing a wide array of nautical remains and other archaelogical finds which were retrieved from the surrounding land and sea.

The first few glass displays which I peered into contained model Royal Navy ships, with a great amount of intricate detail placed into the design and construction. The only thing missing from these miniature ships were the unfurled sails, but my imagination easily filled those in for me. These glass boxes were large in size, and were placed along the centre of the room, thus creating two pathways.

Walking along the left pathway, I took note of the walls which were lined with several old items, most of which I was unable to identify. On closer inspection, I realized that each item had a small label nearby with a brief synopsis. Most of the artifacts were ancient blacksmith tools, such as a ladle which was used to pour molten metal into molds, as well as axe heads and an auger.

Other relics included various pottery and broken ceramics which were used by sailors, and several rusted spoons and other cutlery. Bottles and bottle caps were presented in another cabinet, and I could easily picture sailors taking swigs of rum after the working day was over. Life sized models of sailors were also propped up throughout the room, to give visitors an idea of how they used to dress in days gone by.

Another item of interest was the model of the Nelson's Dockyard which was made in an attempt to raise funds for the construction of the dockyard. The Queen of England supported the cause, and a large part of Antigua's history came to life.

The Dockyard Museum is a great addition to the Nelson's Dockyard, and I'm really impressed at the effort being made to preserve so much of its history. This is the world's only fully operational Georgian dockyard, and I hope that it remains in its present state for future generations. Read Less

Nelson's Dockyard
English Harbour
Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda
(268) 460-7976

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Nelson's Dockyard

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "An Overview of Nelson's Dockyard"

The sign at the entrance Photo - Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda

Quote:

Nelson's Dockyard is possibly the most famous harbour in the Eastern Caribbean, and thousands of sailors, captains and yacht enthusiasts venture there every year, especially during the months of April and May. Hundreds of boats, from classic sailing schooners and personal yachts to the latest luxury seacrafts on the market, make their way there from all various points of the earth, and the Dockyard and nearby harbours are filled to capacity during the annual Sailing Week Regatta.Nelson's Dockyard is presently established as a National Park and received its name after Admiral Horatio Nelson, who was a flag officer of the Royal Navy living in the Dockyard between the years of 1784 and 1787. ...Read More

Nelson's Dockyard is possibly the most famous harbour in the Eastern Caribbean, and thousands of sailors, captains and yacht enthusiasts venture there every year, especially during the months of April and May. Hundreds of boats, from classic sailing schooners and personal yachts to the latest luxury seacrafts on the market, make their way there from all various points of the earth, and the Dockyard and nearby harbours are filled to capacity during the annual Sailing Week Regatta.

Nelson's Dockyard is presently established as a National Park and received its name after Admiral Horatio Nelson, who was a flag officer of the Royal Navy living in the Dockyard between the years of 1784 and 1787. The site is swamped with history, and there are countless relics to be found all throughout the premises, bringing to life the important role that the Caribbean played during the Napoleonic War.

To enter the National Park, there is a fee of $8 USD, which allows guests to visit all the buildings in Nelson's Dockyard. This charge is to assist in the general maintenace of the site.

The historic artifacts in Nelson's Dockyard are well preserved, from the rusting steel cannons to the huge battle ship anchors on display in the yard. Many of the storehouses and buildings from the old days are still in excellent condition, and the boundary walls which surrounds the Dockyard is well maintained. Much like the bygone days, there is only one main entrance through the stone barricade to enter the park, except that there are no longer armed guards standing watch.

Within the National Parks is the Dockyard Museum, located within the Admiral's House which contains many different nautical relics and other objects dating back to the slavery days. Cannon balls, model ships and even the figureheads of warships are on display!

Just within the entrance to the Dockyard is a small area of wooden stalls where souvenir vendors set up shop. Everything touristy from postcards, mugs, paintings, keyrings, magnets and braceletes can be bought as momentos of your trip to Antigua.

If you get hungry while on a tour of the National Park, there are a few restaurants and bars on site. The Galley Bar and Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and in the late afternoon the bar features a Happy Hour which is well loved by visitors and sailors alike. Hamilton's is a bar which is open after dark, and live music and a great atmosphere creates the perfect scene for an evening spent within Nelson's Dockyard.

Nelson's Dockyard is the only working Georgian Marina in the Caribbean, and this gives it a special allure. The opportunity to see the very same marina which pirates and naval ships navigated centuries ago is a remarkable experience, and one not soon to be forgotten. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 23, 2013

Nelson's Dockyard
English Harbour
Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda
(268) 460-7976

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