church. These two buildings illustrate dramatically the difference between Georgian architecture (the church) and Gothic (the church hall). Gothic is often characterised simply as “pointy” architecture – pointed arches, steep roofs, and slender, pointed structures called finials, at the corners; in bigger buildings buttresses and castellations complete the picture. This Wesley Hall was the site of the first primary school, hence the name of the famous Wesley Hall Boys School, long since relocated and now in King Street. Our next stop is at the corner of James Street, where it intersects Lucas and Coleridge Streets. This is almost the centre of the historic core of the city. On one side is the old Nicholls building, most probably the oldest surviving building in Bridgetown. It’s famous for its beautiful curvi-linear gable at the very top – a Dutch style, and popular in the 17th century, when the Dutch owned much of Bridgetown. The brick construction and the small doors are typical of 17th century city buildings. The damaged curvi-linear gable has been ordered to be restored by the Chief Town Planner. On the other corner is the beautiful three storied, green shop house, which reputedly once changed hands as a result of a gambling debt! It was also once the site of a theatre. It has the old-style wide arched door on the left, leading into the courtyard behind. Next to it is the Mottley House, for some years sadly abandoned but now undergoing restoration; this was once the home and office of the famous patriot the Reverend James Young Edghill, famous first Bajan Moravian priest, who started so many “ragged schools” for poor children and wrote a book About Barbados. To the North, on Coleridge Street, is the Central Police Station, with well-matched extensions on either side of the original building. Opposite was Codd’s House, site of Parliament in the mid eighteenth century, and where the emancipation bill was passed – scandalously, and unnecessarily demolished some 30 years ago, for a car park. And then comes the Supreme Court, built in 1733 and the Carnegie Library, a gift of Andrew Carnegie to the people of Barbados, especially the children, and opened in 1904. Both are now empty and abandoned. From the top > Wesley Hall, James Street Methodist Church, You can make a quick detour into Suttle Street and pick up some good quality nuts from The Nut House Photos: Andrew Hulsmeier
114 Bridgetown Experience