NHT Asked to Restore Colbeck Castle in St. Catherine

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has requested the National Housing Trust (NHT) to restore the historic Colbeck Castle in St. Catherine.

Mr. Holness said the castle belongs to the people of the parish, and the NHT, the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) must work to reclaim its value.

He was addressing the ground-breaking ceremony for the Villages of Colbeck Castle Phases one and two housing development in Old Harbour, St. Catherine, on July 14.

The Prime Minister said buildings such as Colbeck Castle can better serve their purpose when they are restored and protected, rather than left in ruin, where they can be vandalised.

“We should restore these buildings, and have them functional, so that people can live within their walls. When the buildings are used, they are better preserved,” the Prime Minister said.

Colbeck and Colbeck Castle were named after John Colbeck, who received a grant of 1,340 acres of land as a reward for helping the English capture Jamaica in 1665. At different points in history, Colbeck produced sugar and tobacco.

The castle is owned by the JNHT, and became a national monument in 1985, and declared a heritage site in 1990.

The housing development will incorporate the historical artefacts of Colbeck, which include an aqueduct, wheelhouse and two structures.