Saint James Parish

Region · 🇧🇧 Barbados

Population 28,498

Area 33 km²

Time zone America/Barbados

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Featured Lists

Haloglow / CC BY-SA 3.0

Saint James Essentials

Saint James, known as the Platinum Coast, preserves the colonial history and luxury of Barbados. Holetown marks the 1627 British landing site, home to the island's oldest church and the Limegrove Lifestyle Centre. The coastline features calm waters at Paynes Bay and the Folkestone Marine Park's snorkeling trails. Inland, the district showcases its agricultural heritage at the Sir Frank Hutson Sugar Museum and offers championship golf at Sandy Lane and Royal Westmoreland. Fine dining at The Cliff and the tranquil Petrea Gardens complete the region's diverse offerings.

10 places

Historic Sites

Explore the colonial history of Saint James through its diverse landmarks. The Sir Frank Hutson Sugar Museum showcases 18th and 19th-century milling machinery at the Portvale Sugar Factory, while the Folkestone Marine Park features an on-site museum detailing maritime life. Architectural heritage is preserved in manor houses like the Palladian-style Heron Bay and the traditional Welches Great House. Near Paynes Bay, the Cubana Airplane Crash Memorial serves as a solemn monument to the 73 victims of the 1976 aviation tragedy.

5 places

Coastal Leisure

Saint James, often called the Platinum Coast, is defined by its calm Caribbean waters and elite recreational facilities. This area features white-sand beaches like Paynes Bay, known for sea turtle sightings, and the secluded Reed’s Bay. The locality also hosts world-class golf infrastructure, including the Tom Fazio-designed Green Monkey course carved from a limestone quarry and the historic Old Nine at Sandy Lane, offering a blend of natural marine beauty and professionally maintained landscapes.

8 places

Haloglow / CC BY-SA 3.0

Religious Heritage

This collection highlights the architectural and denominational history of Saint James and its surrounding areas. It features St. James Parish Church, standing on the site of the island's first settlement in Holetown and containing a bell cast in 1696. The list also includes the 19th-century St. Thomas Parish Church and the seaside St. Alban’s Anglican Church. These sites represent the transition from early colonial Anglicanism to the establishment of Methodist and Roman Catholic communities along the west coast.

6 places