Ever wondered how much cane a windmill could crush in a day? Welcome to Betty’s Hope Mill No. 2 one of the twin windmills that powered Antigua’s first sugar plantation. This is a story of ingenuity, labor, and transformation.
Betty’s Hope stands as a testament to Antigua’s sugar production history. It started in 1650 and became one of the largest rum-producing works here. For a small fee you can explore the open-air museum today.
Governor Keynell founded this estate. After his death his wife inherited it in 1663. When the French invaded in 1666 she abandoned it. The English recaptured the island and gave the estate to the Codrington family in 1674.
Christopher Codrington developed it into a sugar plantation. He named it Betty’s Hope after his daughter. It was Antigua’s pioneer sugar plantation.
The twin windmills you see here at Betty’s Hope worked tirelessly. They crushed the large volumes of sugarcane grown here. With a steady wind they worked from sunrise well into the night. Each mill could crush 60 to 70 cartloads of cane. That equals about two acres per day.
The juice dripped into a tank beneath the mill. It was then piped to the boiling house via an underground conduit. The pressed stalks called bagasse were used as fuel. They dried in the mill yard before fueling the boiling and distilling furnaces.
Look closely at the restored North Mill Tower. Note the intricate mechanism. Thirteen sail revolutions turned the dangerous rollers just once. Workers had to be careful. Arms caught in the rollers meant amputation to prevent death. An axe was always nearby.
The South Mill Tower became a cistern in the late 18th century. Water was vital. Large water catchment systems supplied the estate for rum and sugar production. They also served the people and animals living here. Antigua had no rivers or lakes. Rainfall was crucial. The stone catchments had underground tanks. Water was then pumped to the boiling house.
Even now the Cistern Complex is still in working condition. During severe droughts Pares villagers drew water from these cisterns. There are four catchment areas each with its own cistern. See the sundial base atop the cistern wall near the entrance road.
Pause for a moment and imagine the sounds. The creaking of the sails. The grinding of the cane. The shouts of the workers. The bleating of goats. The Still House stands in ruins. Rum was made here. Admire the huge arched windows. The pipework once carried rum to tanks for dilution. Then it flowed into barrels.
Consider the Great House. It once stood on the grassy knoll next to the mill. Dependency buildings housed the doctor bookkeeper overseer and a tradesman. Now only the stones remain.
Betty’s Hope ceased sugar production in the early 20th century. A central factory was set up. In 1904 a railway spanned 50 miles to carry sugarcane.
The Betty’s Hope Restoration Trust formed in 1990. They are a non-profit NGO. The goal is to preserve this historic site.
Remember the story of Betty’s Hope Mill No. 2. Think about the people who worked here. Their labor shaped Antigua’s landscape and economy. This open-air museum connects us to the past. It reminds us of the ingenuity and hardship that built this island.