Betty's Hope Sugar Plantation

Betty's Hope Sugar Plantation is the historic site of the first large sugar plantation on Antigua, built during the late 1600s by Sir Christopher Codrington who named it after his daughter. All that remains today are the ruins of a stillhouse and two large stone windmills, one of which has been restored, with working gears, crushing rollers and a sail all built to period specifications. The local government is developing the area as an open-air museum, and a small visitor’s center offers information about how sugar cane was processed here, and about the hardships of the African slaves who toiled in its production.

Practical Info

Betty’s Hope Sugar Plantation can be found on the east side of the island, amid rolling hills with panoramic views of Antigua’s east coast and the Atlantic Ocean. To get here from St. John’s is about 25 minutes by car, heading east along Sir Sydney Walling Highway.