by David Ross
I went on holiday to Barbados last July. On of the highlights of the island, I was told by people who had visited in the 1970s, would be Sam Lord's Castle. Sam Hall Lord - who might even be a cousin of mine - was one of the Caribbean's middleweight pirates; not as famed as Cap'n Morgan or Blackbeard Teach, but notorious for what he did. The southern coastal throughfare still sports those big blue buses that head out to "SAM LORDS".
Unfortunately the castle is not what it once was.
I expect I technically was not supposed to be there, and I don't recommend this excursion to anyone else. It is not safe.
After I visited the place, various Bajans and tourists informed me that there was a YouTube video of more or less the same thing as what I saw. When I got back home I verified that Sam Lord's downfall is, indeed, a national scandal. Note this page: How CLICO Ruined A Barbados Heritage Site. Note especially the visit from the son of George Stewart.
Events have passed me by; the Barbados government now plans to buy the property. The sale is controversial (27 July letter from the opposition). I decided to post these pictures anyway: first, to show what future renovators are up against; second, to show CLICO's attitude toward the property.
If I may speculate upon Bajan politics, on analogy with American and British politics, I think what we're seeing here is an extortion tactic. Here is what another heritage site, Farley Hill, looks like now:
I expect that Farley Hill, too, went through a phase of neglect while the undergrowth took over the site. Then everything dried up and got flammable. "Nice place you got here", says CLICO; "shame if anything were to happen to it". The longer they make the government wait, the more urgent the problem becomes.
So here we go. We start with the front gate, bravely clinging to its memories of being a resort:
I walked around it and found a hole through the fence (not pictured). I found this ruined patch before I saw the castle:
Possibly a fountain:
A view of the castle itself, complete with corrugated roofing now serving as a welcome mat:
Here are the offices:
Indoor stairway. I had to black-and-white the image when even adjusting the contrast failed. I should have brought an electric torch. Or infrared goggles.
I went around and found an abandoned cart. Yes, this is a dead mouse. Not pictured are all the live spiders and insects I found here. I am told the rafters of this castle are stuffed with bats and, on special days, "paros" (Bajan for what squeamish Americans label, "The Homeless") so it is just as well, perhaps, that I did not go further.
Back in again. Here is a room with broken chairs and other debris, including some dangling wires or weeds (I am not sure):
Another view of the castle, with a weedy staircase:
There is a cliff here with a nice ocean view. If only it weren't so overgrown:
One more view of the castle. It is indeed very beautiful.
Sam Lord's Resort, and their policy in dealing with injuries. Good thing I didn't get injured here.
There were kiosks at the back. To get there I had to avoid some large pits which were covered by the shrubbery.
The swimming pool:
Here we have the pool building. This was the highlight (for me). Tell me this doesn't remind you of the mosaics at Pompeii:
Here are the shower facilities. "WASH YOUR HANDS: IT IS THE LAW". I can believe that. It was hard to leave here; there was debris blocking the exit and a large spider.
I went out a different way than whence I entered:
If you'd like to read more of what I've been up to over the past 14 years I've been on WWW, then go here.
To send mail, I am at zimriel@sbcglobal.net.
I wrote this up and posted it, at last, 22 August 2009.