Your Ultimate Guide To Barbados

St. Lucy's Parish Church

St. Lucy Parish Church was one of the original six parish churches constructed on the island when it was first developed under the administration of the governor at the time, Sir William Tufton. Incidentally, the parish of St. Lucy in Barbados is the only parish that is named after a female patron saint; the parish also claims the honour of being the birthplace of Barbados' first Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Errol Walton Barrow.

The St. Lucy Parish church has indeed endured a tragic past with all of the previous church buildings being destroyed by the hurricanes that had wreaked terrible destruction on the island of Barbados in the early years of its development.

The first church built was a wooden structure which was erected in 1627; that church was completely destroyed by the hurricane that struck Barbados in the year 1629. Shaken by that experience, the diocese then constructed a second church in 1741; that church was built using 'sawn stone', in an attempt to stave off the devastating effects of the hurricanes but that building too sustained severe damage from the hurricane that made landfall on the island in 1780. Undaunted, the diocese rebuilt, but this third church too was completely ravaged by the great hurricane of 1831.

The determination of the Diocese in Barbados again showed and yet a fourth church was constructed in 1837. This beautifully designed, Georgian inspired church still stands today. This church features an exquisite gallery which runs continuously around three sides of the church providing an excellent view of the Church's altar and the magnificent barreled ceiling of the building. One of the distinctly Georgian features of the church is indeed the bell tower which is stoutly placed at the church’s entrance like all of the other parish churches in Barbados.

St. Lucy Parish Church is quite a large church with a seating capacity of approximately seven hundred and fifty (750). Though the St. Lucy Parish Church was destroyed several times by hurricanes, the baptismal font did manage to survive. This marble font bears the inscription, 'Given by Susana Haggatt, 1747' and today stands on a marble pedestal, donated by Howard King in memory of his brother. Incidentally, since this church was destroyed so many times by hurricanes in the past, from 1837 up until 1904, the baptismal font was mounted on wooden posts.

St. Lucy Parish Church located at the end of the Charles Duncan O'Neale section of Barbados' ABC Highway in the island's northern most parish is a must-see for any visitor to this beautiful island.

Contact Information

Telephone (Office) - (246) 439-8299

00-10