Mustique
Encyclopedia
Mustique is a small private island
in the West Indies. The island is one of a group of islands called the Grenadines
, most of which form part of the country of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The island covers 1,400 acres (5.7 km² or 2.2 sq. miles) and it has several coral reef
s. The land fauna includes tortoise
s, heron
s and many other species. Its year-round population of about 500 mostly live in the villages of Lovell, Britannia Bay and Dover.
The island of Mustique is owned by the Mustique Company, which in turn is owned by the island's home owners. The island has approximately 100 private villas, many of which are rented out through the Mustique Company. In addition there is one hotel called the Cotton House, owned by the Mustique Company, and one privately-owned four bedroom hotel called Firefly, which is owned by Stan and Liz Clayton.
The island is located in the Grenadines Parish administrative area of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
and Jeremy Clarkson
. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip have made private visits to Mustique in 1966, 1977, and 1985.
dramatically lessened the worldwide demand for tropical sugar.
Mustique's sugar plantations were abandoned and eventually swallowed up by scrub, leaving remnants such as the sugar mill at 'Endeavor' and its 'Cotton House.' The Plantation House was built in the 18th century.
, under whose guidance the island began to be developed. Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II
, accepted his gift of a 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) plot of land as a wedding present in 1960, and she built a residence called Les Jolies Eaux
. In 1989 Mustique Island was transformed from a family estate into a private limited company with the homeowners as shareholders.
In 1971, the SS Antilles
struck a reef not far off of the island, and sank.
Private island
A private island is a disconnected body of land wholly owned by a single private citizen or corporation. Although this exclusivity gives the owner substantial control over the property, they still fall within the jurisdiction of national and sometimes local governments.-Ownership:There are many...
in the West Indies. The island is one of a group of islands called the Grenadines
Grenadines
The Grenadines is a Caribbean island chain of over 600 islands in the Windward Islands.-Geographic boundaries:They are divided between the island nations of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. They lie between the islands of Saint Vincent in the north and Grenada in the south. Neither...
, most of which form part of the country of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The island covers 1,400 acres (5.7 km² or 2.2 sq. miles) and it has several coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s. The land fauna includes tortoise
Tortoise
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles . Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise...
s, heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s and many other species. Its year-round population of about 500 mostly live in the villages of Lovell, Britannia Bay and Dover.
The island of Mustique is owned by the Mustique Company, which in turn is owned by the island's home owners. The island has approximately 100 private villas, many of which are rented out through the Mustique Company. In addition there is one hotel called the Cotton House, owned by the Mustique Company, and one privately-owned four bedroom hotel called Firefly, which is owned by Stan and Liz Clayton.
The island is located in the Grenadines Parish administrative area of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Residents and guests
Mustique has, over the years, attracted a number of celebrities such as Amy WinehouseAmy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
and Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip have made private visits to Mustique in 1966, 1977, and 1985.
Early history
The history of the island of Mustique, and of the Grenadines in general, dates back to the 15th century, when Spanish sailors first sighted this more or less linear group of small rocky islands and named them 'Los Pájaros' or 'the birds', because they resembled a small flock of birds scattered across the sea in flight. During the 17th century the islands were renamed the Grenadines by pirates, who used the sheltered bays to hide their ships and treasure. The islands were later utilized by European planters to grow sugar cane. This lucrative industry lasted until the nineteenth century, when the extraction of sugar from European-grown sugar beetSugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
dramatically lessened the worldwide demand for tropical sugar.
Mustique's sugar plantations were abandoned and eventually swallowed up by scrub, leaving remnants such as the sugar mill at 'Endeavor' and its 'Cotton House.' The Plantation House was built in the 18th century.
Recent history
Mustique was purchased in 1958 by Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron GlenconnerColin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner
Colin Christopher Paget Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner was a Scottish noble. He was the son of Christopher Grey Tennant, 2nd Baron Glenconner and Pamela Winefred Paget...
, under whose guidance the island began to be developed. Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, accepted his gift of a 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) plot of land as a wedding present in 1960, and she built a residence called Les Jolies Eaux
Les Jolies Eaux
Les Jolies Eaux is a former private royal residence on a headland on the island of Mustique, St Vincent.The name means "Beautiful Waters" and sits on given as a wedding present to Princess Margaret in 1959 from Lord Glenconner. The main house, completed in 1972, was designed by the princess's...
. In 1989 Mustique Island was transformed from a family estate into a private limited company with the homeowners as shareholders.
In 1971, the SS Antilles
SS Antilles
Built for the French Line, the Antilles was a near-sister to the SS Flandre of 1952. Her construction was completed and her maiden voyage made in 1953. She differed from her sister mainly because she was painted in white. She was placed on West Indies cruise service in the 1960s.Her career was...
struck a reef not far off of the island, and sank.