Plantation House is the official residence of the Governor of Saint Helena. The Governor is the representative of Queen Elizabeth II in the United Kingdom’s overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The Governor’s office is in the Castle, down in Jamestown.
The current Georgian house was built in 1792 by the East India Company as a “country” or summer residence for the Company Governor. The house was taken over by the Crown in 1834 after the India Act of 1833 removed the right of the East India Company to manage the island. Writer, Simon Winchester once described Plantation House as “ …a gem – perhaps the loveliest house available for any senior British diplomat anywhere…”. It’s certainly pretty impressive from the outside.
While I didn’t take one, tours of the ground floor reception rooms may be possible though I understand the current Governor has greatly reduced access to the house which may now only be open 45 minutes per week – check with the tourist office in Jamestown as soon as you arrive on the Island for the latest information. As I pointed out in my Longwood House review the chandelier that used to be in Napoleon’s residence is now located here in Plantation House. I understand that on one wall in the ante-room there is a charcoal drawing of Napoleon by James Sant while across the room and still watching Napoleon is a picture of Governor Lowe. If you have read my other reviews on Napoleon you will be aware that Lowe and Napoleon were not the best of friends.
Apparently Napoleon was rather disappointed when he arrived on St Helena as he expected to be given Plantation House. The Governor thought differently and Napoleon had to settle for second best. By this stage of his career Napoleon wasn’t in a great position to argue. Consideration had, in fact, been given to housing Napoleon here and there is a map of St. Helena drawn in 1815, just before Napoleon’s arrival, by Lieutenant Read which marks Plantation House as “The Residence of BONAPARTE”. Security concerns led to Longwood being selected in the end.
The house has good views overlooking pleasant gardens (including a vegetable garden) and the sea.
Irrespective of whether you go into the house or not, do have a stroll in the gardens and say hello to the Island’s oldest resident – Jonathan, a tortoise. Actually, it seems a bit strange to mention this here but Jonathan will probably be the primary reason you go out to Plantation House in the first place.
This blog entry is one of a group (loop) of entries on my trip to St Helena. I suggest you continue with my next entry – The Governor’s Pets – or to start the loop at the beginning go to my St Helena Introduction entry.
The Rambling Wombat 