Sam Sharpe Square
A historic square in the city center, commemorating Sam Sharpe, leader of the 1831 slave uprising. Nearby are The Cage, a stone lockup from 1806 for enslaved people, and a cultural center.
Sam Sharpe Square, originally called Charles Square, is the heart of Montego Bay's old town. On Christmas Day 1831, Baptist deacon Sam Sharpe led a slave uprising in western Jamaica. He was executed in the square the following year. He was later recognized as a Jamaican national hero, and the square has a bronze statue group showing him preaching to crowds. In one corner stands The Cage, a small stone building erected in 1806 to hold enslaved people and sailors who remained on the streets after curfew. Inside the old courthouse next to the square is the Montego Bay Cultural Centre, which displays the history of St. James Parish and Jamaican art. Admission is a small fee, and it is closed on Mondays. The square is free to enter and can be combined with a visit to the city's craft market.
Opening hours
Square open all day; cultural center about Tue–Sun, 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Nearby sights
- Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue)
- The Pork Pit
- Doctor's Cave Beach
- Rocklands Bird Sanctuary
- Rose Hall Great House
- Hampden Estate
- Greenwood Great House
- Mayfield Falls