The English Harbour- Antigua

English Harbour is Antigua's graceful and evocative historic district, covering fifteen square miles of Nelson's Dockyard National Park. During the turbulent years of the 18th century, this harbor was developed as the base for the British Navy and it served as the headquarters of the fleet of the Leeward Islands.

The dockyard was greatly expanded by Horatio Nelson and today it is the only Georgian dockyard in the world. Almost all the park’s other sites of interest overlook the harbour. The closest is the Clarence House a residence built for the future King William IV when he served under Nelson as Captain of the HMS Pegasus. The view from the Shirley Heights extends out over the Harbor and far across the Caribbean to Montserrat and Guadeloupe.

Near Shirley Heights is Dow’s Hill interpretation centre. From here visitors can watch an impressive multimedia presentation of Antigua’s history from the initial settlement to independence. Observation decks at Dow's Hill provide another fine view of the harbour, as do the ruined fortifications of Fort Berkeley, located on the far side of the bay and reached by a walk around its perimeter. All these positions become important points of observation during the Sailing week.

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