Parham

Have you ever heard of a town that was once a thriving capital and then fell into obscurity? This is Parham, nestled on the shores of the largest harbor in Antigua. Parham was founded in 1675 by Lord Willoughby de Parham, a British naval officer. He was given a patent from King Charles II to establish a trading town in colonial Antigua, and Parham quickly became a key trading port. But then a hurricane devastated the town in 1720, causing it to lose its capital status to St. John’s. Despite this setback, Parham remained a significant trading port in the 1700s, exporting rum and sugar to England. Parham Harbour also became a popular outlet for agricultural produce from the parishes of St. Peter, St. Phillip, and St. George. It was not until the mid-nineteenth century that Parham experienced its heyday. The construction of St. Peter’s Anglican Parish Church in 1840 attracted people to the town, which led to its highest population. However, when sugar prices plummeted in the early to mid-20th century, the town’s fortunes declined. English sugar planters left the island, and Parham became a less significant commercial hub. Today, Parham is a small town with a population of roughly 7,000 people. Fishing and agriculture remain important to the Parham economy. Despite its decline, Parham continues to hold a unique place in Antigua’s history. The remnants of its past still remain, and the town’s name is forever etched in the island’s story.