Colbeck Castle

Two miles north of Old Harbour, St. Catherine lies the magnificent ruin which is Colbeck castle. The grey brick and stone structure which is evident given its wide open plain of surrounding sticks out like a sore thumb, and stands as a prestigious moment in the past. Significantly the castle was built to be a vital location in the defence of the island against the Spanish and the ever impending marauding pirates. A three-foot high brick wall rings the property that measures about 114 feet wide by a height of about 40 feet.

The two-story ruin is said to be named after Colonel John Colbeck, a member of the English expeditionary forces that was led by Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables. In 1655 Colbeck decided to settle in the conquered Jamaica after he was given land some 1,340 acres, for his services and remained here up until his death in 1682. It is said that construction of the castle began in 1655 after the English captured Jamaica from the Spanish and was completed some 25 years later. During his short time in Jamaica, John Colbeck became of a member of the Assembly and was Speaker of the House from 1672-73. He was buried in Spanish Town.

While the large estate evidentially displays great wealth and luxuriousness, perhaps its most importantly, showcase is the moated fortress. Designed according to the Alladio style of architecture, similarly to 17^th-century Italian villas with intricate; colonnades, balconies, arches and rare spherical windows, the castle provided unparalleled views of the surrounding areas as far as the Caribbean Sea some ten miles away. What’s more is that at the four corners, which adds a third–story to the structure, of this military enclosure are outbuildings or towers which serve as defence posts as well as underground slave quarters. That being said the southwestern outbuilding has two large underground vaults, while the northwestern outbuilding contains brick ovens.

As one of the oldest ruins in Jamaica, it was declared a national monument in 1990. Currently, the ruin is owned by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, as Colbeck did not leave behind an heir to inherit the castle. The remaining walls show the grandeur of the structure that once was a mansion, a fortress and now a part of Jamaica’s heritage.