The Complete Guide to St Nicholas Abbey in Barbados

Barbados is so famous for its beaches and natural beauty, but one of my favourite places I visited in the country was far away in the country’s rural north. St Nicholas Abbey is one of the best places to get a sense of Barbadian history. The property is surrounded by picturesque hill country and is the site of one of only three Jacobean houses in the western hemisphere. In addition to touring the historic mansion, when you come to the Abbey (not a real Abbey, but more on that later…), you’ll have the chance to see a working rum distillery, taste its products and tour the scenic plantation by steam train. Needless to say, you’ll want to spend a few hours here on any Barbados itinerary. St Nicholas Abbey is filled with stories. Come along and learn some as you tour this historic property.

• If you’re planning a trip to Barbados, make sure you check out my guide to the island. It covers all the fun things you can do, including St Nicholas Abbey. Read it HERE.

St Nicholas Abbey – The Basics

• Where? Cherry Tree Hill, St Peter.
• When? 9.30am – 5.00pm Sunday to Friday (closed Saturdays).
• How much? Basic admission to St Nicholas Abbey costs $60.00 BBD for adults. Children aged 3 to 14 years cost $24.00 BBD (kids under 3 get in for free). If you want to ride the Heritage Train, your ticket, including admission to the site will cost $100.00 BBD for adults, or $36.00 BBD for children.
• How to get there: St Nicholas Abbey is located in the northern part of Barbados. There’s no public transport that will get you there. You can either come on an organised tour that includes transfers from your hotel, or drive, get a taxi, or use the PickUpBarbados ride-share app.The drive will take at least an hour from Bridgetown.
• Website: http://www.stnicholasabbey.com/

The Story of St Nicholas Abbey

Before diving into what you’ll see at St Nicholas Abbey, lets first take a look at the interesting tale behind this historic property. Shout out to my amazing guide Asha for filling me in on all this!

From Berringer to Yeamans

St Nicholas Abbey dates back to the 17th Century. Originally called Berringer Plantation, the Jacobean mansion was built in 1658, making it one of the oldest heritage buildings still standing on Barbados. The plantation was built by Benjamin Berringer, who lived there with his wife Margaret, and their three children. Their romance would meet an untimely end however. Following an argument with his wife, Berringer left the property in January 1661, and died by poisoning shortly after. Ten weeks later, Mrs Berringer married her late husband’s business partner and neighbour, John Yeamans, and there is speculation that he may have been behind Berringer’s death. Regardless, Yeamans’ plantation was merged with Berringer’s following the marriage, with the borders of the site remaining unchanged ever since.

Yeamans would go on to found the American colony of Carolina, relocating with his new wife to Charlestown and becoming Governor. Meanwhile, the property, now known as Yeaman’s Plantation would pass down family lines to Margaret’s granddaughter Susanna. Already married to George Nicholas, it was at this time that the plantation’s name changed to Nicholas Plantation. Susanna’s hatred of Yeamans for his supposed role in her grandfather’s murder was a key reason for the change.

From Nicholas Plantation to St Nicholas Abbey

In 1720, Nicholas Plantation was purchased by Joseph Dottin, the Deputy Governor of Barbados. He gave the property to his daughter as a wedding gift in 1746, following her marriage to Sir John Gay Alleyne. With no surviving heirs following her death, the property fell into legal limbo, all while considerable debts accrued. The plantation was eventually sold to the Cumberbatch family in 1810.

The property was inherited by Sarah Cumberbatch and her husband Charles Cave in 1834. It was during their time as owners that Nicholas Plantation took on its current name – St Nicholas Abbey. Never a religious institution, the name came from combining the existing name with ‘St Nicholas Parish’ (Sarah’s home in England) and Bath Abbey (the place the couple were married).

St Nicholas Abbey stayed within the Cave family for many generations, though it faded into obscurity. It was finally purchased by Larry and Anna Warren in 2006. Since acquiring the property, the Warrens have overseen a massive restoration effort. They were also the driving force behind the Abbey recommencing its sugar and rum production. Under the Warren Family, St Nicholas Abbey has blossomed into a heritage attraction, with a goal of sustaining the historic property’s legacy for future generations.

The Logistics of Touring St Nicholas Abbey

Being so far to the island’s north, it takes a bit of time to get to St Nicholas Abbey (I was deceived by how small Barbados looks on a map!). I got to the Abbey around lunch time, having visited after a trip to Harrison’s Cave. I actually hadn’t planned on going to the Abbey that day, but after paying my ride-share driver (originally booked through the PickUpBarbados app) to drive me around the island, it was the perfect opportunity to see the sights of Barbados’ rural north.

If you’re planning on taking in the full St Nicholas Abbey experience (house, grounds and train), you should factor in at least 2 hours to explore the property. That’s about the time I spent at the Abbey, though I feel like I could have spent longer if I wasn’t also wanting to visit the Animal Flower Cave further north before it closed for the day! There’s no need to book your tickets in advance for St Nicholas Abbey (just be prepared to pay the admission fee in cash).

Getting to the front entrance of the main house, I was greeted by tour guide Asha. She offered me a free tour of the whole property. It lasted about an hour, and since I was visiting in the quiet season, it was basically a private experience. While you’re free to explore the property on your own if you choose, I can’t emphasise enough how great my tour was. If you do take a tour, be sure to tip your guide generously!

The Great House

The headline attraction at St Nicholas Abbey is the Great House itself. Built in the Jacobean style, notable for curved gables, arches and chimneys, the house is architecturally striking, and you can’t help but be hit with a sense of wonder as you approach the front entrance on the short walk through the lush plantation. Only three rooms of the house are open to guests, with the upper floor’s seven bedrooms and connecting fireplaces off-limits. You can see photos of the upper level in the main hallway if you’re interested however.

My tour of the Great House began in the Drawing Room. Effectively the main living area, my attention was immediately drawn to a pair of cats that were lazing around on one of the colourful rugs. I was told about the various artefacts throughout the room, many of which dated back to the early 1800s. They ranged from Wedgwood tea sets to a Sailor’s Valentines collection. The original furniture has also been preserved and its really like walking into a house from another century. Hanging above the room, a shell covered chandelier is a prominent feature. I didn’t actually notice the shells until I looked closer!

Up next was the Dining Room. The contents of this room dated back even further, with the English Sheraton sideboard dating all the way back to the tenure of the house’s original owners. Obviously the prominent contents of this room are the impressively ornate dining table pieces. They were carved from Barbadian mahogany around 1850.

Finally, through the hallway (passing the Stranger Things style grandfather clock and all), we entered the Study. Here, the focus of our stay was the Gentleman’s Chair – the epitome of luxury in 1936. With adjustable tables, book holder, reading lamp and rests for the foot and back, this was a rather impressive contraption for its time. It could even be wheeled around if its occupant wanted a change of scenery. We finished up the house tour with a look at the portraits of past owners of the house, whom I thought bore a striking resemblance to one another.

The Boiling House & Distillery

Exiting the house into the rear courtyard, my tour of the Abbey continued towards the Boiling House. On the way, we passed Lance and Baby, two Moluccan Cockatoos that were bred in captivity. With an expected lifespan of 100 years, these birds are sharp as a tack, and Lance in particular can be rather cheeky!

The property’s Steam Mill was sadly not operating when I visited St Nicholas Abbey. Built in 1890, the steam powered engine drove the Abbey’s increased production at the turn of the century, though profitability fell as sugar and rum began to be produced in other regions by the 20th Century. When the Abbey ceased operations in 1947, the original mill was scrapped for parts. It wasn’t until the Warren family purchased the Abbey that it was restored and sugar grinding recommenced. The annual crop season running from early January to May, so this is the time to come if you want to see it in action.

Up next was the Distillery. Rum has been distilled at St Nicholas Abbey for over 350 years. Unlike the more commercially renowned Mount Gay Rum, the St Nicholas Distillery creates smaller batches of excellent quality rum through traditional distillation techniques. The affectionately named ‘Annabelle’ pot and column plays a key role in this process, with the copper vessels responsible for the smooth texture and incomparable flavour of the final product. At St Nicholas Abbey, its all about quality over quantity.

The Rum Tasting

With all that rum talk, you knew we weren’t finishing the tour without a tasting. This is Barbados after all! The Rum and Sugar Bond houses small museum at the back of the property, and this is where I got to taste a range of St Nicholas Abbey’s finest products. They were all excellent! Of course, you can buy bottles of anything you taste afterwards from the wide range on sale (and there’s also a regular souvenir stall connected to the chamber). In the area, you’ll also see workers carefully bottling the final products in impeccably crafted bottles.

The Rum and Sugar Bond is also connected to a theatre, where you can watch a film about the history of the Abbey. It provides further insight into past life on the property, as the footage is actually sourced from the Cave Family’s 1930s archives. I didn’t have time to watch it on my tour, but it runs for about 20 minutes, with regular screenings throughout the day. Also nearby, you can stop for a bite at the Terrace Cafe, an outdoor dining area serving light meals and refreshments. Surrounded by greenery, you’ll take in views of the local wildlife (monkeys included) while re-energising.

The Abbey Grounds

With the tour concluded, I had time to wander around the grounds and gardens of the Abbey. Starting in the Courtyard at the rear of the house, the Sandbox Tree which dominates the area is over 400 years old. Indigenous to the Caribbean, this type of tree is covered in dark pointed spines. Its definitely not something you want to touch, despite its fairly innocent looking appearance. The spines have actually given the tree the nickname “monkey-no-climb”.

The Formal Gardens can be found to the left of the main house, and date back to the 17th century. Filled with hibiscus, orchids and roses, along with an abundance of trees, the area is luscious and green. While stopping by this part of the property, my attention was captured by a slow moving tortoise, waddling along undisturbed after a brief Barbadian downpour.

Taking the Train Around the Plantation

While it costs extra, I highly recommend capping off your trip to St Nicholas Abbey with a ride aboard the plantation’s Heritage Railway. As the newest addition to the Abbey (the railway only opened in 2018), you can see the rest of the property aboard a restored steam train. Along the way, the train conductor provides commentary, filling you in further on the history of the property and its surroundings. Leaving the Great House behind, you’ll pass a lake on your way to Cherry Tree Hill. This elevated observation point overlooks Barbados east coast, providing sweeping views out to sea. You’ll stop here briefly while the train turns around (manually), before taking the same journey back to the main station.

All up, the train ride takes about 40 minutes (including the Cherry Hill stop), and you’re asked to arrive 20 minutes before departure time to ensure things run to schedule. I caught the 1.30pm train, but most days there are also departures at 10.00am, 11.30am and 2.30pm. You don’t need to book in advance, just rock up 20 minutes beforehand at the main station (right at the entrance to the property) to secure your spot. You could theoretically pay $60 BBD (as an adult) to only ride the train when visiting St Nicholas Abbey, but I feel like you’d be missing out if you came all this way and didn’t see the Abbey itself. Grab that combo ticket to get the most out of your visit.

I hadn’t planned to check out St Nicholas Abbey on my trip to Barbados. I figured it was too far out of the way and difficult to get to. As it turns out, I’m extremely glad that I decided to get my driver to take me there. It was one of the more memorable places I visited on the island and I found the story behind the place fascinating. If you’re into history and want to learn more about Barbados’ plantation history, a trip to the Abbey is essential. Drag yourself away from the beach, buy the combined ticket and see it all in a few hours on a day trip to the north of the island. Its a day in Barbados that you won’t regret.