Saint John Capisterre Parish
Encyclopedia
Saint John Capisterre is one of 14 administrative parishes
that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis
. It is the second largest parish on Saint Kitts (after Saint George Basseterre Parish
), and the third largest parish in the federation (the largest being Saint James Windward Parish
). The capital of the parish is Dieppe Bay Town
.
creeping until it met the Atlantic Ocean, where it cooled and hardened. Shaped and formed by wave action over the years, the many grottoes, pools and projections that now line the area are a testament to the island's volcanicity. Saint John Capisterre is also home to the tallest peak in the Leeward Islands, Mount Liamuiga
, whose crater lake marks the boundary for Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Anne Sandy Point and Saint Thomas Middle Island. The parish's interior is completely dominated by Liamuiga and other peaks of the North West and Central Ranges, covered with tropical forests. Below 1000 feet, the forests give way to small farm holdings and abandoned sugar cane estates. The parish is a main producer for tropical fruit on the island.
, the first French settlement on the island, and parish capital (although Saddler's functions as a second parish capital). Other settlements include Parson's Ground Village, Pogson Village, Lynch's Village, Harris' Village and Belle Vue. Due to the rough Atlantic coastline, only the reef-protected towns of Dieppe Bay and Parson's hug the coast. All other settlements are further inland. Tabernacle is further recognized locally, being founded by newly emancipated slaves in the late 19th century.
Capitals
Dieppe Bay
,
Saddlers
(largest village)
Other Villages:
, avocado
, banana
, breadfruit
, carambola
, cashew
, mango
, papaya
, sugar apple, and golden apple
. Tourism is also a key industry here. The Golden Lemon Hotel, one of the island's most exclusive and expensive, situated on Dieppe Bay Beach, is a large employer of the population. The rich reefs of Dieppe are a major local fishing ground, and are also a popular snorkeling area. The rougher Sandy Bay has grown into a local surfing spot, and for those even more adventurous, climbing down the cliffs of Black Rocks to bathe in the elusive pools provides a challenge. The most recent addition to the parish is the Beaumont Park Race Track, hailed as one of the finest in the region, near the town of Dieppe Bay. The Race track offers horse and greyhound racing, as well as facilities for state-of-the-art gambling.
, the island's most protected harbour, was a hub of activity, and served the former French region of Capisterre
, from which the parish derives part of its name. After full British control in 1713, however, its functions as an international port ceased. Today, the harbour is used as a base for the local coast guard, for docking small fishing vessels, and also as a dock for small vessels in turbulent weather.
, Saddlefest, and Festab. Festival de Capisterre is held in Northern St. Kitts, a region formerly held by France (17th century) which was named Capesterre (land facing the wind, as opposed to Basseterre, meaning land sheltered from the wind). The four villages of the region (Newton Ground and Saint Paul Capisterre in Saint Paul Capisterre and Dieppe and Parson's in Saint John Capisterre) thus annually hold the festival in mid-September to celebrate the distinction. Saddlefest is a community festival held in the large village of Saddlers. It features calypso shows, beauty pageants, late night liming and street jam sessions. Festab is the final festival, with many similar activities to Saddlefest, but held in the village of Tabernacle, and with its own unique styles and charms.
Parishes of Saint Kitts and Nevis
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is divided into 14 parishes. Nine parishes are located on the island of Saint Kitts and five on Nevis. The parishes are drawn like pie-slices from the ridgeline of the central mountains of both islands....
that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis , located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island nation in the West Indies. It is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas, in both area and population....
. It is the second largest parish on Saint Kitts (after Saint George Basseterre Parish
Saint George Basseterre Parish
Saint George Basseterre is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is the largest parish on Saint Kitts and the second largest parish in Saint Kitts and Nevis . It is by far the most populous parish in the federation, holding nearly a third of the country's population...
), and the third largest parish in the federation (the largest being Saint James Windward Parish
Saint James Windward Parish
Saint James Windward is one of five Nevis parishes, which in turn are part of the 14 administrative parishes making up the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis....
). The capital of the parish is Dieppe Bay Town
Dieppe Bay Town
Dieppe Bay Town is a town in Saint John Capesterre Parish in the island of Saint Kitts, in the country of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Settled in 1538, it is the oldest town founded by Europeans in the whole of the Eastern Caribbean...
.
Land
The parish's 5 mile coastline is one of the most impressive and varied in the federation. The northern coasts consist of long beaches with black volcanic sand. Large offshore reef formations almost completely surround Dieppe Bay Beach, creating the island's safest natural harbour. The other beaches, namely Parson's Beach and Sandy Bay, however, lack this protection and are battered by the turbulent waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The southern coasts contain one of the island's most noted natural features, Black Rocks. Stretching for almost 2 miles, these large metamorphic rock projections are the result of St. Kitts' last volcanic eruption (estimated to be in the 14th century) when lava poured down the slopes of Mount LiamuigaMount Liamuiga
Mount Liamuiga is a stratovolcano which forms the western part of the island of Saint Kitts. The peak is the highest point on the island of Saint Kitts, in the federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and in the entire British Leeward Islands, as well as one of the tallest peaks in the eastern...
creeping until it met the Atlantic Ocean, where it cooled and hardened. Shaped and formed by wave action over the years, the many grottoes, pools and projections that now line the area are a testament to the island's volcanicity. Saint John Capisterre is also home to the tallest peak in the Leeward Islands, Mount Liamuiga
Mount Liamuiga
Mount Liamuiga is a stratovolcano which forms the western part of the island of Saint Kitts. The peak is the highest point on the island of Saint Kitts, in the federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and in the entire British Leeward Islands, as well as one of the tallest peaks in the eastern...
, whose crater lake marks the boundary for Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Anne Sandy Point and Saint Thomas Middle Island. The parish's interior is completely dominated by Liamuiga and other peaks of the North West and Central Ranges, covered with tropical forests. Below 1000 feet, the forests give way to small farm holdings and abandoned sugar cane estates. The parish is a main producer for tropical fruit on the island.
Towns and Villages
The largest town in the parish is Saddler's, with a population of almost 2,000. The village of Tabernacle is the second largest settlement. Another main settlement in the parish is the town of DieppeDieppe Bay Town
Dieppe Bay Town is a town in Saint John Capesterre Parish in the island of Saint Kitts, in the country of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Settled in 1538, it is the oldest town founded by Europeans in the whole of the Eastern Caribbean...
, the first French settlement on the island, and parish capital (although Saddler's functions as a second parish capital). Other settlements include Parson's Ground Village, Pogson Village, Lynch's Village, Harris' Village and Belle Vue. Due to the rough Atlantic coastline, only the reef-protected towns of Dieppe Bay and Parson's hug the coast. All other settlements are further inland. Tabernacle is further recognized locally, being founded by newly emancipated slaves in the late 19th century.
Capitals
Dieppe Bay
Dieppe Bay Town
Dieppe Bay Town is a town in Saint John Capesterre Parish in the island of Saint Kitts, in the country of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Settled in 1538, it is the oldest town founded by Europeans in the whole of the Eastern Caribbean...
,
Saddlers
Saddlers, Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saddlers is a town in Saint John Capesterre Parish, Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is the co-capital of the parish along with Dieppe Bay Town; originally the parish was partly ruled by France and partly by the United Kingdom. When Britain took full control of the island in 1713, both capitals remained.A...
(largest village)
Other Villages:
- Parson's
- Harris'
- Belle Vue
- Tabernacle
Economy
The main employer in the parish is agriculture. The fertile slopes of Mount Liamuiga are home to many small farms and a wide variety of tropical fruits are grown for local consumption, mainly acerolaAcerola
Malpighia emarginata is a tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae. Common names include acerola, Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry and wild crapemyrtle....
, avocado
Avocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
, banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
, breadfruit
Breadfruit
Breadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry family, Moraceae, growing throughout Southeast Asia and most Pacific Ocean islands...
, carambola
Carambola
Carambola, also known as starfruit, is the fruit of Averrhoa carambola, a species of tree native to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The fruit is a popular food throughout Southeast Asia, the South Pacific and parts of East Asia...
, cashew
Cashew
The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.-Etymology:The...
, mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
, papaya
Papaya
The papaya , papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae...
, sugar apple, and golden apple
Golden apple
The golden apple is an element that appears in various national and ethnic folk legends or fairy tales. Recurring themes depict a hero retrieving the golden apples hidden or stolen by a monstrous antagonist...
. Tourism is also a key industry here. The Golden Lemon Hotel, one of the island's most exclusive and expensive, situated on Dieppe Bay Beach, is a large employer of the population. The rich reefs of Dieppe are a major local fishing ground, and are also a popular snorkeling area. The rougher Sandy Bay has grown into a local surfing spot, and for those even more adventurous, climbing down the cliffs of Black Rocks to bathe in the elusive pools provides a challenge. The most recent addition to the parish is the Beaumont Park Race Track, hailed as one of the finest in the region, near the town of Dieppe Bay. The Race track offers horse and greyhound racing, as well as facilities for state-of-the-art gambling.
Port
In the 17th century, the port of Dieppe Bay TownDieppe Bay Town
Dieppe Bay Town is a town in Saint John Capesterre Parish in the island of Saint Kitts, in the country of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Settled in 1538, it is the oldest town founded by Europeans in the whole of the Eastern Caribbean...
, the island's most protected harbour, was a hub of activity, and served the former French region of Capisterre
Capisterre
Capisterre is a region covering the Northern Coastal plain on the Island of Saint Kitts. It was originally colonized by the French in the early 17th century, with its capital on the only harbour, in the fishing town of Dieppe. The area was lost to the British in 1713...
, from which the parish derives part of its name. After full British control in 1713, however, its functions as an international port ceased. Today, the harbour is used as a base for the local coast guard, for docking small fishing vessels, and also as a dock for small vessels in turbulent weather.
Community Festivals
Saint John Capisterre is home to three community festivals, more than any other parish (except Saint George Basseterre which has the same number). They are la festival de CapisterreLa festival de Capisterre
La festival de Capisterre is an annual festival celebrated in the region of Capisterre, St. Kitts. The Capisterre region was the earliest area in St. Kitts to be settled by Europeans and was part of French St. Christophe from 1625 to 1713. The area now holds four main settlements: Newton Ground...
, Saddlefest, and Festab. Festival de Capisterre is held in Northern St. Kitts, a region formerly held by France (17th century) which was named Capesterre (land facing the wind, as opposed to Basseterre, meaning land sheltered from the wind). The four villages of the region (Newton Ground and Saint Paul Capisterre in Saint Paul Capisterre and Dieppe and Parson's in Saint John Capisterre) thus annually hold the festival in mid-September to celebrate the distinction. Saddlefest is a community festival held in the large village of Saddlers. It features calypso shows, beauty pageants, late night liming and street jam sessions. Festab is the final festival, with many similar activities to Saddlefest, but held in the village of Tabernacle, and with its own unique styles and charms.