Historic Spanish Town crumbling into neglect

Spanish Town has had its glory days when it was the seat of the colonial government in Jamaica. It became Jamaica’s principal town in June 1534, when the Spaniards moved the capital from Sevilla la Nueva in St Ann. They called it Villa de la Vega, which was laid out as a grid around two squares. The English tried to capture it a few times, but it was finally ceded to them after 1655 w1hen Admiral Penn and General Venables invaded Jamaica.

In 1660, The Jamaica Assembly and court system was relocated to Port Royal mainly because of its proximity to the sea. Access to Port Royal itself was problematic, and the administration was returned to Spanish Town or St Jago de la Vega as the English had renamed it. Spanish Town thrived under the British, who had rebuilt many grand structures on the foundations of destroyed Spanish buildings. The main square was a place for pomp and pageantry.

Yet, in 1755, capital status was taken from Spanish Town to Kingston. It created an uproar as it was said that Governor Sir Charles Knowles colluded with the rich merchants of Kingston who convinced him to pass a bill in the Legislature for the removal of the said status. As soon as the bill was passed, the Government Archives were removed to Kingston.

The residents of Spanish Town protested to the King of England. The bill was declared illegal, and Knowles was replaced by Sir Henry Moore. Eventually, the status was returned to Spanish Town, where, On August 1, 1838, on the steps of the portico of the governor’s mansion, Governor Sir Lionel Smith read The Emancipation Proclamation.

Over time, Kingston, located beside a natural harbour, and not far the seaside town of Port Royal, eclipsed Spanish Town in terms of importance, and in 1872, it permanently became Jamaica’s administrative capital. This move led to the decline of Spanish Town in many ways, and successive governments have failed to rekindle interest in this historic town.

Today, Spanish Town still has scores of red-brick buildings, some of which are still functional and are occupied. However, the great majority, including some historic ones, have fallen into total ruin. Among them are buildings that were much newer by decades, but they, too, have fallen into different stages of dereliction. The grid on which the town was originally laid out has morphed into winding narrow lanes and streets. Old Spanish Town is truly a hodgepodge of historic buildings and unflattering ‘modern’ structures.

The best-preserved part of the old section is in Emancipation Square, at the centre of which is a well-kept park. The facade of the old King’s House, built in 1755, and which was once the governors’ mansion is to the west. On the compound there is also the People’s Museum of craft and technology. The old House of Assembly, built around 1762, now houses the St Catherine Municipal Corporation offices. The shell of the old courthouse is propped up by wooden braces. The Rodney Monument in honour of Baron Georg (sic) Brydg Rodney is to the north. The National Archives are right behind it.

Old Spanish Town represents a significant part of the evolution of Jamaica’s political history and heritage. Swathed in antiquity it is, waiting for some long-needed attention. Not long ago there were plans to transform Emancipation Square into a heritage tourism showpiece, but it seems like such plans have met upon brick walls like the ones that are crumbling all around into neglect and governance gone awry.