22/04/2023
Greenwood Great House
Sitting high on a hill with sweeping views of the Caribbean sea, Greenwood Great House was built in the 1780s by the enormously wealthy Richard Barrett; a cousin of the famous poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Greenwood was built for entertaining when Richard was made Speaker of the Assembly. It was one of four great houses owned by the Barrett family, including Cinnamon Hill located nearby, the family home of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's great grand-parents. Cinnamon Hill was bought by Johnny Cash, the country and western singer. It was his home until his death.
Greenwood is one is the best preserved examples of the plantation era Jamaican Great House. More than 200 great houses in Jamaica were razed during the slave revolt of 1831. The Greenwood Great House is among a very few that were spared from being torched, mainly as a result of the way Richard Barrett treated his slaves. Unlike most planter families in Jamaica at the time, the Barretts were kind to their slaves, assisting them on a path to literacy, an act which was considered a criminal offence. It was for many generations, the home of the famous Barrett family who arrived in Jamaica from Wimpole Street in London. The house has always been occupied and was purchased in 1975 by Bob and Ann Betton. It has been a labor of love, restoring it to its original splendor. Of all the great houses in Jamaica, this one is the most authentic. It is a national monument due to its history and the enduring presence of antique items.
Tours are offered to the public for a small fee, which is used to help offset the cost of maintaining the house.
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