Bermuda -Touring St. George's Parish

St. George’s Parish is at the East End of Bermuda. This is where it all started and where, today, you can visit those far off days when Sir George Somers and his friends on board the Sea Venture first hove into view off the tip of St. Catherine’s Point.

The town of St. George, the heart of the parish, is a 30-minute bus ride from Hamilton. Buses run between St. George and Hamilton every 30 minutes, or every 15 minutes if you combine bus routes, so it's well within reach and well worth a visit.

Founded in 1612 by Governor Sir George Moore and named for the patron saint of England, St. George was the second English town to be established in the New World after Jamestown, Virginia. Unlike Jamestown, though, which has long been abandoned, St. George continues its quiet way of life much as it has for almost four centuries.

As I’ve already mentioned, St. George is the oldest town in Bermuda. Indeed, with the demise of Jamestown in Virginia, it is the oldest English colonial settlement in the New World. For many years it was the capital of Bermuda, giving up that honor to the city of Hamilton in 1815. Today, St. George is a tiny backwater at the eastern end of the island. That’s not to say it’s a forgotten community, far from it. The little town is a major tourist attraction in its own right.

Over the years a great deal of history has been created on the streets of St. George and in the surrounding countryside. The harbor has offered food and shelter to more than 20 generations of seafarers. Many of them saw Bermuda as no more than a small spot on the map of the journey to the New World. The St. George of today is a tiny community, clean and neat, with dozens of quaint shops and stores, side streets and long sloping sidewalks.

Okay, let's go on a walking tour of St. George.

You’ll need to take your time when exploring St. George. If you can, allow at least a full day, more if possible, because here you’ll be treated to more old English and Bermudian tradition than anywhere else on the islands. Allow time to explore the quaint little shops and stores where the unexpected is always just around the corner, or hidden away in some dark recess waiting just for you to discover it. If you have the time and energy you should make the walk from St.
George to Fort St. Catherine; it’s almost a couple of miles, but the walk is fun, and the fort itself is not to be missed; just take your time. You can catch a bus from the fort back into town.

The tour of St. George I’ve laid out is quite comprehensive, taking in almost all the major sights of the city, and one or two spots that are not quite so obvious attractions. The tour can take as much as a full day, the fort a half-day, so allow plenty of time, and bring some extra cash to spend along the way.

Begin your tour of the parish in King’s Square, also known over the years as the Market Square and the King’s Parade. The Visitors Service Bureau here, 441-297-1642, is open 9 am to 5 pm every day except Sunday. King’s Square is the hub of the town. On any given day almost every resident of St. George will pass through it or spend some time there. During the summer months it’s a lively place.

The Town Crier, in 17th-century costume, can often be seen ringing his bell and calling out the events of the day. As soon as you enter
on the north side of the square, you’ll see the town stocks, whipping posts and pillories just to your left. These offer an unusual photographic opportunity. There’s also a ducking stool in the square, which once was used to punish female gossips; it was, to say the least, a harrowing experience for the lady concerned. Strange as it may seem, the men were never treated to the experience. Today, St.
George’s town crier, Richard Olsen, announces the punishments for the day: reenactments of those long since abandoned, including the ducking stool. King’s Square is also the site of most of St. George’s annual celebrations: New Years, Emancipation Day, etc., and an assortment of outdoor concerts held throughout the year.

Continued on Page 2

Know Before You Go!