The Saint James region
The parish of Saint James ("St. James") is an area located in the western part of the country of Barbados. Increasingly St. James is being known as the
playground of the rich and famous, and haven for sun-starved tourists.
In local colloquium, St. James was known as the "Gold Coast", but due to ongoing popularity it is now referred to as the "Platinum Coast", reflective of
the parishes many glitzy beach-front mansions, pristine beaches, luxury hotels and almost ridiculous land prices. Many Barbadians say within the Platinum
Coast there are as many as, 18 global billionaires own property somewhere within a 6-mile stretch of beach on the island.
The parish also has great historic significance, as it was here that the first British settlers landed in 1625. Under the authority of King James, the
British claimed Barbados upon landing in St. James' present-day city of Holetown (formerly Jamestown, named after the King himself), this settlement turned
Barbados into what would later be known as "Little England".
As the sole parish that combines good shopping, excellent eating, and the chance to hob-nob with the who's who's of Hollywood and beyond, St. James is
the gem of Barbados' bustling tourist industry, with attractions steeped in history from the St. James Parish Church, to the Portvale Sugar Factory - one
of the few operational sugar factories on the island.
Though a haven for tourists and foreign expatriates, St. James is far from exclusive. As one of the bigger parishes, it is home to over 20,000 nationals
strewn across its many districts, across various social strata. The parish is home to the prestigious Queen's College, one of the foremost schools not only
in Barbados, but the Caribbean, founded over a century ago by a British plantation owner by the name of Col. Henry Drax. At its most rural, the parish's
many villages (such as the seafront "Fitts Village") are abuzz with activity, near-familial camraderie, and an active social atmosphere.............
Adopted from and read more at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_James_Barbados |
