The St Mary’s Church is located in historic Bridgetown Barbados. It was constructed in 1825 and was consecrated on July 27th 1827 by resident Bishop of Barbados, Bishop William Hart Coleridge.
The church is built of brick with Georgian architecture and features a barrel-vaulted sealing, some memorial tablets of the Regency period (early 1800s), a lovely Chancel donated in 1894, a jalousie Porch on the south side, and an embellished baptismal Font donated by John Montefiore in 1863, a jewish merchant who also donated the Montefiore Fountain in Bridgetown. The Chancel was donated in 1894.
In 2007 the Clock Tower was donated by Cave Shepherd & Co. Ltd., and the Welcome Sign with LCD display by the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc.
The 4 ft 6 inch clock is a Roman Skeleton Dial piece, designed and built by Smith of Derby Limited, the manufacturers of the clocks on the Parliament Buildings and the Main Guard Clock Tower.
HISTORY
The original church on this site was a parish church established in 1641 during the reign of King Charles I, and was called the Church of St Michael’s. It was of a wooden structure that later proved to be inadequate as a city church, which then led to it being torn down and the land left abandoned.
After being derelict and overgrown for some time, the locals began to call the spot “the Old Churchyard”. During which time, the land was used by persons of colour and slaves as a burial ground.
A new parish church was built of stone at a different location in Bridgetown, and was consecrated in 1665 on the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels. The new site was donated by Col. William Sharpe and the Church of St Michael’s later became St Michael’s Cathedral ...the Cathedral of the new Diocese.
After the new parish church was built at the new location, the St Mary’s Church was constructed at the old site to take extra parishioners from the new parish church.
Now a “Chapel of Ease”, the St Mary’s Church boast being the second oldest consecrated ground in Barbados. The first is the St James Parish Church. It is also one of the few churches to withstand the devastating hurricane of 1831.
Since the St Mary’s Anglican Church was built, the prominently featured stained glass window was removed and no one seems to know where it disappeared to.
St Mary’s Anglican Church Cemetery/Graveyard
This graveyard has buried a number of famous citizens like:
There is also a gorgeous silk cotton tree located at the eastern side of the church yard, which was said to used for public hangings.
ST MARY’S ANGLICAN CHURCH SERVICES
Sundays
7am - Holy Mass and Sermon
8.45am - Solemn Mass and Sermon /Sunday school
Tuesdays & Thursdays
7pm - Holy Mass and Homily (Only)
Wednesdays
7am - Holy Mass and Homily
12 noon - Midday Devotions and Address
Fridays
9am - Mattins
9.30am - Holy Mass
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