Preserving Jamaica's Heritage Since 1958876-922-1287info@jnht.com
JNHT

Enriching Our Heritage

No. 1 King Street, Montego Bay

Site details

Status
Declared
Date
15 July 1993
Category
Other Historic Sites
Parish
St. James

About this site

The property at number one King Street and the corner of Market Street, Montego Bay, St. James, was formerly the Manse of the Burchell Baptist Church. The Church was named after the renowned Baptist Missionary and pioneer Thomas Burchell. He did most of his pioneering actions in the western parishes of the island. Thomas Burchell lived in the Manse while he worked in the parish of St. James.

Built along the Jamaican Georgian lines of architecture, the Old Baptist Manse depicts the transition of European design being adapted to the tropical environment. This two-storey structure has a double mansard gable roof, with a wide trough galvanized zinc sheet finish. Punctuating each gabled end are fixed louvre arched windows for ventilation and, to some extent, illumination.

The first-floor level boasts a series of six panel sash windows all fitted in a wooden frame. The walls at the first floor of the building are constructed of wooden cladding, which terminates at the belt beam level of the roof.

The walls at the ground floor are constructed of brick, and a series of sash windows are replicated in a symmetrical pattern at both levels.

The entrance elevation boasts an arcade with wooden Doric columns. The first level has an elaborate piazza, with balustrades highlighting an intricate lattice design.

1 King Street