Clarence Town

Clarence Town sits on a harbour on Long Island's southeastern shore, and its two white twin-towered churches stand on facing hills above it. Both were designed and built by John Hawes, an English architect-priest who came out as an Anglican, built St Paul's, later converted to Catholicism, and returned to build St Peter's on the opposite ridge. He is better known in the Bahamas as Father Jerome, and his buildings appear across several islands.

Background

Clarence Town serves as the capital of Long Island. Along the water there is a marina with two restaurants, and the mail boat calls at the town dock once a week. Beyond that the town has a small grocery store, a gas station, a small pub, a post office, a police station and a community centre. The two churches by John Hawes look much alike, each with twin towers. One is St. Paul's Anglican Church, and the other is the Roman Catholic church of St. Peter and Paul.

Source: Wikipedia, "Clarence Town"

Highlights

• St Paul's - the Anglican church, Hawes's first, on one hill above the harbour.
• St Peter's - the Catholic church he built after converting, on the facing hill.
• The harbour - a sheltered bay with the village around it.
• The Hawes style - the medieval-influenced stonework he used across the islands.

When to go

November to April is the dry season. The churches are usually open and visits need no arrangement. Sundays bring services and the buildings in use.

Practical notes

The village is small and an hour or two covers it. The churches are the whole of it. Long Island is long and Clarence Town is a considerable drive from the northern end.

Nearby

Adderley's Plantation is north, and Dean's Blue Hole is a short drive west.

Key facts