The history of Antigua and Barbuda covers the period from the arrival of the Archaic peoples thousands of years ago to the present day. Prior to European colonization, the lands encompassing present-day Antigua and Barbuda were inhabited by three successive Amerindian societies. The island was claimed by England, who colonized the islands in 1632. Under English/British control, the islands witnessed an influx of both Britons and African slaves to the island. In 1981, the islands were granted independence as the modern state of Antigua and Barbuda.
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History of Antigua and Barbuda in the context of All Saints, Antigua and Barbuda
All Saints (/ɑl seɪnts/; North Antiguan: Aal Sient [ɑːl seɪnt]) is the second largest settlement in Antigua and Barbuda, with a population of 3,412. It is located in the middle of Antigua, at 17°3′N 61°47′W / 17.050°N 61.783°W. Just 5 miles NW of here is the capital, St. John's. It had a population of 3,900 in 2001.
Within the vicinity of the settlement is Betty's Hope, the first large-scale sugarcane plantation in Antigua, located in Diamonds. Betty's Hope was built in 1674 by Sir Christopher Codrington, the namesake of Codrington, and was named for his daughter, Elizabeth Codrington. The only remaining structures are two stone sugar mills and the remains of the stillhouse, though its important role in Antigua's history has inspired its government to turn it into an open-air museum.
History of Antigua and Barbuda in the context of Betty's Hope
Betty's Hope was a sugarcane plantation in Diamonds, Antigua. It was established in 1650, shortly after the island had become an English colony, and flourished as a successful agricultural industrial enterprise during the centuries of slavery. It was the first large-scale sugar plantation to operate in Antigua and belonged to the Codrington family from 1674 until 1944. Christopher Codrington, later Captain General of the Leeward Islands, acquired the property in 1674 and named it Betty's Hope, after his daughter.
Betty's Hope is no longer operational as a plantation. However, the structures pictured here at the time of restoration works initiated by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in 1990, under the OEC/ESDU Eco-Tourism Enhancement project, consisted of the twin windmills, the Cistern Complex in serviceable condition, the Great House (Buff or Estate House) in ruins, the Boiling House where sixteen copper hoppers were used to boil cane juice to produce crystalline sugar, and the Still House, a distillery used for manufacturing rum (also seen in ruins without a roof but with elegant arches). Since 1995, the buildings have been developed as an open-air museum with a visitor center and are managed by the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda.