Highland House Ruins
The ruins of the Codrington family house on Barbuda's highest ground.
Updated 3 September 2026
Highland House stands on the highest ground on Barbuda, built in the early eighteenth century for the Codrington family who leased the whole island from the Crown and ran it as a supply estate for their Antiguan sugar plantations, worked by enslaved people. The house was abandoned and what remains is walls, cisterns, a bell tower base and the foundations of outbuildings, in dry scrub with a view over most of the island.
What's there
- The house walls - the standing remains of the early eighteenth-century building.
- The cisterns - the water storage cut and built into the ground.
- The island view - most of Barbuda visible from the high ground.
- The estate history - the Codrington lease and the enslaved workforce it depended on.
When to go
December to April is the dry season and the track is more passable. The site is exposed with no shade. Hurricane season runs June to November.
Practical notes
The ruins are unconsolidated with loose stone and no interpretation. The track is rough and the site takes finding. There is no shade or water.
Nearby
Codrington is west, and Darby Cave is east.
What to pack for Highland House Ruins
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Head torch + spare batteries - Hands-free light is essential; caves are truly dark. Find on Amazon
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Grippy closed shoes - Cave floors are wet, muddy and slick with formations. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
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