"Walking Tour 2004 - First part" Saint George Travelogue by grandmaR

In 1995, we went to a slide show on Bermuda architecture, and Whitehall was shown to us as a quintessential example. It isn't on the walking tour.

St. George Visitor's Center & War Memorial

St. George was the second English town established in the New World (The first one was Jamestown, Virginia) but where we begin the tour at

King's Square AKA Market Square or King's Parade, which is the center of St. George is only 200 years old. This was formerly a marshy part of the harbor. Next to the harbor and the war monument is a branch of the Visitors Service Bureau. You can buy a bus pass or a Heritage Pass here (cash only)

Also on the square there is a replica of a pillory and stocks in front of the Bank of Butterfield. Frommer's walking tour says You could be severely punished here for such "crimes" as casting a spell over your neighbor's turkeys.

From the square, head south across the small bridge to:

2. Ordnance Island, so called because the British army once stored gunpowder and cannons here. A replica of the Deliverance, the boat that carried the shipwrecked Sea Venture passengers on to Virginia is here along with a ducking stool, a contraption used in 17th-century witch trials and which is used in reinactments by the Town Crier today.

3. White Horse Tavern

Also there is a statue on the island to .Sir George Somers, and also the dock where you can get the High Speed ferry to Kings Wharf.

Retrace your steps across the bridge to King's Square. On the waterside stands the White Horse Tavern: It was once the home of John Davenport, who came to Bermuda in 1815 to open a dry goods store. Davenport was a bit of a miser; upon his death, some £75,000 in gold and silver was discovered stashed away in his cellar.

Across the square stands the:

4. Memorial plaque in the Town Hall

Located next to the Visitors Service Bureau, this is the meeting place for the St. George governing corporation. It has antique cedar furnishings and a collection of photographs of previous lord mayors. It was renouvated after Hurricane Fabian and also has photographs of the damage that occurred then. Additional pictures are in a travelogue.

One of the best budget attractions in Bermuda is Bermuda Journey, a multimedia audiovisual presentation, which is shown here several times a day. We saw this in 1995. The center stone in the picture is from Berne Manor, Dorset- Sir Somer's home

From King's Square, head east along King Street, cutting north (left) on Bridge Street. You'll come to the:

5. Bridge House St. George

This building at 1 Bridge Street was formerly the home of several of Bermuda's governors. Now there is an art gallery and souvenir shop there. It is furnished with antiques.

Return to King Street and continue east to the:

6. Old State House from 1995

The State House is at the top of King Street on Princess. This oldest stone building in Bermuda was originally the home of the Bermuda Parliament which first met here in 1620. Now it is the Masonic lodge. They pay the government a "rent" of one peppercorn annually for the use of the property - the payment is made at a yearly ceremony.

Continue your stroll down Princess Street until you come to Duke of York Street and the entrance to:

7. Somers Garden from the steps

I've always thought the story about the heart of Sir George Somers, the admiral of the Sea Venture, being buried here was at once charming and macabre. The gardens, which were opened in 1920 by the Prince of Wales, contain palms and other tropical plants. I have a picture from 1963 that Bob took of me leaning my pregnant self against a royal palm and this time he took another one of me as a non-pregnant grandmother.

Walk through Somers Gardens and up the steps to the North Gate onto Blockade Alley.

8. Unfinished Cathedral

Climb the hill behind the garden to the structure known as "the folly of St. George's,". I didn't walk all the way up the hill to the unfinished cathedral, but I did get this pictures.

This was to replace St. Peter's Church stop number 12 on the next part of this tour). Work began on the church in 1874, but ended because of infighting and financial difficulties.

Next section of the Walking Tour under St. George's Island