A Map of the Estate of Peter Langford Brooke, Esquire, Called the Wood Situated in the Parish of St. John's, Antigua
In the colonial period, the Langford Brooke family of Mere in Cheshire, England, owned several properties on the island of Antigua. This map from 1821, based in part on an earlier map, shows the Wood estate with its 24 fields devoted to the growing of sugar cane. The index on the right indicates the works and buildings on the estate, and the exact sizes of the different fields. An accompanying ground plan, prepared by the same surveyor, depicted the estate’s works and buildings in more detail. Antigua’s earliest inhabitants were the Siboney people, followed by Arawak and Carib Indians. The first European to visit the island was Christopher Columbus in 1493, who named it “Santa Maria de la Antigua.” In 1632, the British established a colony on Antigua, and began importing large numbers of slaves from Africa to work on its sugar cane plantations. The slaves were freed in 1834, but many former slaves continued to work on the sugar plantations. In 1981, Antigua became independent as part of the country of Antigua and Barbuda.
Title in Original Language
A Map of the Estate of Peter Langford Brooke, Esq., Called the Wood Situated in the Parish of St. John's, Antigua
Type of Item
1 color manuscript map ; 64 x 81 centimeters
- Scale approximately 1:2,200
Last updated: October 17, 2011