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- Destinations
- Caribbean
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Antigua
- English Harbour
English Harbour
English Harbour, Antigua's graceful and evocative historic
district, is focused on the 15 square miles (39 sq km) of Nelson's
Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in
the great age of sail, the harbour served as the headquarters of
the fleet of the Leeward Islands during the turbulent years of the
late 18th century. Although the dockyard was greatly expanded at
that time by Horatio Nelson, it was gradually abandoned in the 19th
century and was closed in 1889. Today Nelson's Dockyard has been
completely restored, and it is now the only Georgian dockyard in
the world.
Almost all of the park's other sites of interest overlook the
harbour. The closest of these is Clarence House, a residence built
for the future King William IV (1765-1837) when he served under
Nelson as captain of the HMS Pegasus. Further above the harbour, at
Shirley Heights, are the partially restored fortifications of the
harbour's colonial observation post; the view from Shirley Heights
extends out over the harbour and far across the Caribbean to
Montserrat and Guadeloupe. On Sunday afternoons the vista is
enhanced by a barbeque and live music at the bar. Shirley Heights
can be reached via Lookout Trail, a nature walk that rises from the
harbour through a forest of trees. Buses run between St John's and
Nelson's Dockyard.
Information & Facts
Admission
Language
English is the official language, but most locals speak
English patois (jargon or dialect).
Money
The Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD) is the main form of currency
in Antigua and Barbuda, and it is tied to the US Dollar, with US$1
equal to EC$2.65 (long-standing, pegged rate). US currency can be
used nearly everywhere. Major currencies and travellers cheques can
be exchanged at the international banks in St John's and at many
hotels. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted but there are
not many ATMs in the area, so it is best to make arrangements
around this.
Opening Times
Dockyard Historic Tours: daily 9am to
5pm
Time
Local time in Antigua and Barbuda is GMT -4.