Your Ultimate Guide To Barbados

Admiral Lord Nelson

The look and feel of London is prevalent on approach to Lord Nelson's statue which is located in the heart of Bridgetown, the capital city of Barbados.

Referred to as an excellent likeness of the British Admiral, this bronze statue was erected on March 22nd, 1813 and sculpted by Sir Richard Westmacott who was often time referred to as "the first castor of bronze in the Kingdom." London has a Trafalgar Square and a Lord Nelson statue but the one in National Heroes Square is actually older, by nearly 30 years, than the aforementioned.

“The statue of Admiral Lord Nelson was erected in Barbados in 1813 and sculpted from bronze by Sir Richard Westmacott, who was called, "the first castor of bronze in the Kingdom." It is considered an excellent likeness of the British Admiral.

It pre-dates the Nelson Column in Trafalgar Square in London by nearly 30 years. Very soon after his victory and subsequent death at Cape Trafalgar in 1805, plans were made to honour Horatio Nelson’s memory. Locals proudly believed they were the first to put up such a monument; however they were in fact the third, after Montreal and Birmingham.

His popularity came because of the impression he made on Barbadians at the time, resulting in them purchasing the statue and land when he died, naming it Trafalgar Square and paying tribute to the Admiral by erecting the statue.

For some time now the Nelson Statue has been at the centre of controversy for its removal. The only changes to date have been the ceasing of the traditional wreath laying on the anniversary of Trafalgar and the change of direction in which he faced.”

There's a plaque on the statue that reads: “This statue in honour of the hero the inhabitants of this island erected A.D. MDCCCXII”