Coke Methodist Church, East Parade

Located at East Queen and Duke Streets, Coke Methodist Church is named for Reverend Thomas Coke, founder of Methodism in Jamaica and a key figure in the worldwide Methodist Church with John Wesley.

As Coke’s mission grew, a larger space was needed. In 1790, a chapel opened with room for 1,600 people. It faced strong opposition from authorities, who viewed Methodism as a threat to slavery, and resistance increased as abolition efforts gained strength.

The building was attacked, and Coke and other ministers were slandered in newspapers. In 1807, a Kingston grand jury declared the chapel harmful to the town and ordered it closed. Despite repeated efforts to reopen it, it remained closed for seven years, forcing Methodists underground during the “Seven Years Night.” Membership kept growing, leading to the opening of Wesley Chapel in 1818, its replacement in 1823, and Ebenezer Chapel four years later. A building fund was later launched, and by 1836 the House of Assembly contributed. The new Coke Chapel opened in January 1841.

It remains one of Kingston’s most ornamental buildings and one of the few churches largely unchanged since before the 1907 earthquake.

The Jamaica National Heritage Trust declared Coke Methodist Church a national monument on January 7, 2000.