About
Type: Extant
Parish: St. George
Founding Date: 1678
See on Google Maps!
Current Status:
The mill still exists and there is no record that this estate converted to steam. Nearby the mill is one of the low old stone outbuildings still in use as a residence. No sign exists of the old estate house and the whole hillside has been built up into a residential area.
From the hilltop where the mill stands, there is a clear and unobstructed view of the entire runway of the V.C. Bird International Airport where Winthorpe’s village and estate once stood.
Estate History/ Timeline
The land of this estate was previously part of Winthorpe’s estate sold to Major William Barnes who in turn sold it to Captain Francis Carlisle, an area known as Stokes land.
The Carlisle Bay on the south side of the island near Old Road, St Mary’s, is another reminder of the Carlisle family’s influence on the island in the early 1700s. A beautiful sand beach spans the bay, on which sits the Carlisle Bay Hotel.
1678: Maj. William Barnes sells to Capt. Francis Carlisle 150 acres bought of Winthrop called “Stotes Land.” V. Oliver Vol. I p.116.
When Major William Barnes of Millend, Stepney, died in 1694 his will was recorded in Antigua, part of which read. “To my dear wife Mrs. Ursula Barnes, ½ of the yearly profits of my plantation in Antigua and 1/3 of the debt due to me from Captain Francis Carlisle of Antigua.” He also left his son, William Barnes II, £1200 at 21, “the plantation [Barnes Hill] I settled on my wife when I married her and 25 negroes.”
1706: It is said when Colonel Parke, Governor of Antigua, lay dying and suffering the pangs of a ‘dismembered body’ that several members of the house of the assembly stood around reviling and insulting him in his last agonies; that among the numbers were Andrew Murray, Francis Carlisle, Mr. Tomlinson, and Captain Painter.
1709: Col. Francis Carlisle, member of H.M. Council owned 500 acres in New North Sound which he left to his son William. Vere Oliver Vol.I p.113
1711: “July 2, Frances Carlisle possesses a plantation in New North Sound of 300 acres bounded W with Cassada Garden, etc…” Oliver Vol.I p.116.
William Carlisle (d.1738) married Elizabeth, daughter of William McKinnon and upon his death left her all his Personal Property and ready money. However, she later married a very young man John Gray of Scotland and at her death left everything to him which amounted to between £25,000 and £30,000.
The Carlisle Estate, however, stayed in the family. The son of the first marriage, William Carlisle, died in Antigua around 1744 unmarried but settled his estate on his sister Alice who married Ralph Payne (1706-1762) of St. Kitts. Their son, Ralph Payne (1739-1807) inherited Carlisle’s. Carlisle’s Estate was awarded £5168 19 s 4 d for 395 enslaved. Ralph Payne, 1st Baron Lavington previous owner, Neville Reid, and John Dixon awardees.
1742: Will Nov. 1st, 1742. “All my property in England, Antigua and elsewhere to my dear mother Eliz. Carlisle, ….. I wish my mother to leave the estate to my first nephew Ralph (Payne) and his heirs ….” Vere Oliver Vol.I p.113
1800: Sir Ralph Payne, Lord Lavington, died in 1807 at the age of 69 in Government House in Antigua, childless and the legislature voted £300 per annum to his widow who died at Hampton Court Palace on 2 May 1830. His remains were interred in the garden of Carlisle’s Estate on a spot pointed out by himself for that purpose a short time before his death. His career mirrored the rise and downfall of absentee sugar planters in Britain. He was a member of the British Parliament, he was invested with the ensigns to the Order of The Bath and at time of his death was a Senior Knight. In 1771, he was appointed Captain-General and Governor of the Leeward Islands, in 1775 he was appointed Clerk of The Board of Green Cloth, in 1795 he was advanced to the Peerage of the Kingdom of Ireland, by the Title of Baron Lavington. In 1801 His Lordship was again appointed Captain-General, Governor in Chief, and Vice Admiral of the Leeward Islands, and sworn a Member of the King’s Privy Council. His admirable behavior in his duties left an indelible impression on the Inhabitants of Antigua. West Indies Ralph Payne is also known for patronizing the artist Thomas Hearne who is responsible for many of the paintings depicting Antigua at this time. See Yale University: the Beinecke collection.
1838: David ‘Justice” Cranston was hired by Manning & Anderson of New Bank Building in the city of London, England, as their true and lawful attorney for the purchase of the Estate called Carlisle. William Manning, Fredrick Manning, and John Proctor Anderdon. The exact date of purchase has not been established.
1852: Kean Osborn, M.D., owner of Orange Valley of 735 acres in St. Mary’s, Bodkin’s of 412 acres in St. Paul’s, Room’s of 318 acres in St. Paul’s, Paynter’s of 272 acres and Carlisle’s of 388 acres in St. George’s. Vere Oliver Vol.II p.368
1852: Carlisle’s contained 388 acres – 365 slaves. 185: Antigua Almanac shows Paynter’s of 272 acres belonging to K.H. Osborn, M.D. Kean Brown Osborn, M.D. 1700-1852 owned Paynters, Orange Valley, Bodkins, Blackman’s/Mt. Lucy and Rooms. Carlisle’s was linked to Paynter’s in the will.
1868-1872: Papers, Correspondence: Barrett. Carlisles: Antigua, No.60 Colonial Office and Predecessors: West Indian Encumbered Estates Commission. National Archives (UK) – Colonial Office Ref.#CO441/8/9 1868-1872 Papers and Correspondence 1864. Rocke: Carlisle’s. Antigua No.174 Ref. & CO 441/15/13.
1884: Charles John Manning, West India merchant, son of William Manning (1777-1835) and Mary Hunter, under the marriage settlement of Bethell Walrond and Lady Janet St. Claire and as such awarded compensation for Upper and Lower Walrond in Antigua. His father William Manning was a West India merchant and landowner in St. Kitts, an MP and a leading voice in the West India lobby. He received claims for slaves owned on (claim No.79) Lower and Upper Walrond Estates and (claim No.259) Little Duers. Antigua T71/877. His wealth at death was £70,000. 1948 – Carlisle’s Estate was sold to Syndicates Estates, Ltd.
In 1951 Syndicate was renting (Tenancy areas) 2,202 tenants on 1,631 acres of land of which 974 tenants on 1,454 acres could be alienated from the Company’s hold, while the remaining tenants would have to be relocated elsewhere. 1949: To facilitate the transfer of the estate showed that there had been considerable encroachment. The transfer took place on 25th February 1949, for the cost of £2,500.
1951: Antigua Almanac shows Carlisle’s 388 acres as belonging to K.B. Osborn, M.D.
1957: Mr. C.T. Michael who was the overseer at Carlisle’s for the past year, died. The ASE Board Minutes at that time state that the maintenance of the estate houses, which were in a state of disrepair, fell to the Syndicate company to take care of. In September 1960, the firm agreed to sell the house site on the west side of the base road, to A. de Souza Jardine; estimated to be 1 1/2 acres, for $500. On December 23, 1960, the firm also sold 1.357 acres of Carlisle land to the Government for $3,000 to be used for the new airport.
1939: Carlton and Ena Moore lived at Carlisle and the Lake children used to walk from Antigua Sugar Factory taking a shortcut through Pigott’s Village, to see them. The great house was a short way passed the Army Base West gate. The grave was in the middle of what used to be a canefield, just between the village and the road between the field and the Great House on the hill. We always stopped off there. It was surrounded by an ironwork fence. I guess Lord Lavington owned Carlisle’s as well as Lavington. At that time Douglas Holmes A’court, Sr. was Manager at Lavingtons and we sometimes visited there also. The only other thing I can remember about Lord Lavington apart from the location of the grave, is that his name was given to a local plant now known as Lord Lavington. When villagers had a toothache, they would tie up their jaw with a mixture of crushed Lord Lavington leaves and lard. Dentists were few and far between on the island at that time. Jocelyn (nee Lake) Bevelyn
1943: August 1st The Gunthorpes Estates, Ltd. was restructured (see #64 Gunthorpe’s) into a ‘new’ company renamed Antigua Syndicate Estates Ltd.
1947: Negotiations with Mary Camacho for Carlisle and part of Barnes Hill fell through. 1950’s: Jack Vanier used to live in the old buff house. One evening sitting on the veranda he felt the shackles rise on the back of his head and a feeling of cold pervaded. A feeling of malevolence persisted and he was certain someone was staring at him. Upon turning he glimpsed a lady in white who would not move. He finally got up and went towards her at which time she evaporated into thin air. He was later told that the family buried their money and it was the custom to take a slave to dig the hole after which he was killed. This time the slave killed the young lady and she continues to return to search for her money.” Myrna Kelsick.
1948: Mrs. Mary T. Camacho was sold to the Syndicate Estates, along with Barnes Hill. (#71) ASE had been renting (Tenancy areas) 1,101 tenants on 1,631 acres of land of which 974 tenants on 1,454 acres could be alienated from the Company’s hold, while the remaining tenants would have to be relocated elsewhere. In order to facilitate the transfer of the estate considerable encroachment had to be resolved. The transfer took place on 25th February 1949, for $2,500.
1969: The Lands of Antigua & Barbuda Sugar Factory Limited and The Antigua & Barbuda Syndicate Estates, Limited (Vesting) Act. 30th December, 1969. 23. All that piece or parcel of land forming part of Carlisle, approximately 129.6 acres as contained in the Certificate of Title
Enslaved People’s History
Based on contemporary research, we have little information to share about the enslaved peoples from this plantation at this time. We only know that the estate was awarded £5168 19 s 4 d for the freedoms of 395 enslaved persons after slavery was abolished in the Caribbean. We will continue our quest for more information about these vital individuals.
Ownership Chronology
- 1678 Capt. Francis Carlisle
- 1734 William Carlisle d.1694
- 1742 Elizabeth Carlisle (mother)
- 1790 Sir Ralph Payne (1739-1807) – 1777/78 Luffman map
- 1807 Lady Lavington d.1830
- 1843 Dr. Kean. Brown Osborne, M.D. (1770-1852)
- 1873 James Barrett 1872 Horsford Almanac
- 1878 Charles J. Manning (1799-1880)
- 1891 Victor Guffray
- 1933 Mrs. Mary T. Camacho
- 1949 Antigua Syndicate Estates, Ltd.
- 1950 Arthur Tomlinson purchased Buff house and entered into a private housing scheme
- 1968 The Antigua Government – Crown Land
References
Rocke: Carlisle’s: Antigua No.174 Ref.# CO 441/15/13
Certificate of Title No.911949 dated 5th April 1949 and registered in Register Book S Folio 3.