Regent

Regent sits in the hills above Freetown, one of the settlements founded for liberated Africans, and its St Charles Church, a stone church built in 1816 with government money, soon outgrew its 500 seats and was given a gallery for 200 more. The building is plain and solid with a bell tower. The village around it keeps some Krio board houses and the hill setting is cool by Freetown standards.

History

Regent was founded in 1812 for Liberated Africans landed at Freetown by the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron; first called Hogbrook, it was renamed after the Prince Regent, the future George IV. St Charles Church was built in 1816, and from 1817 its minister, Rev. William A. B. Johnson, drew congregations beyond its 500 seats (Wikipedia, Regent, Sierra Leone).

What's there

• St Charles Church - the stone church of 1816, with its added gallery.
• The bell tower - the plain solid front of the building.
• The Krio houses - the board architecture surviving in the village.
• The hill setting - cooler ground above the capital.

When to go

November to April is the dry season. The church is generally open around services. The rains from May to October are heavy.

Practical notes

The claim to be the oldest is contested by other buildings and depends on how it is defined. Access to the interior depends on the parish. The village has few facilities.

Nearby

Charlotte is nearby, and Freetown is north.

Key facts