The Ins & Outs of Barbados 2022

68 Sightseeing Did You Know? Codrington College Did you know that Codrington College in St. John was the gift of one of the most brilliant Barbadians of the 17th century? It’s one of the three oldest Anglican theological colleges in the Western Hemisphere. Colonel Christopher Codrington, the benefactor, was an amazing man – a Renaissance man - a scholar, poet, public orator, visionary, soldier and once the Governor-General of the Leeward Islands. His grandfather, the first Christopher Codrington, first settled in Barbados nearly 400 years ago. Christopher Codrington the Second was a Deputy Governor of Barbados and later Governor-General of The Leeward Islands and of questionable character! Young Christopher grew up in the splendid great house of Consett Plantation, St. John, that became the Principal’s Lodge of Codrington College. Sent to school in England and on to Oxford, he became a Fellow of All Souls, a published poet and a public orator. He fought in European campaigns, and became an intimate friend of King William III, who made him Governor-General of The Leeward Islands. But his strong moral principles clashed with the merchants and planters in Antigua. He was fearless in condemning corruption, disapproved of slavery and his sympathising with the slaves brought him into grave collision with his enemies. Ultimately, his health failed and he retired to Codrington in 1707. He died on Good Friday, April 7th, 1710 leaving his estates to the SPG to form the College, now the Theology Department of the University of the West Indies. It’s an oasis of beauty and serenity, where the education of priests, enjoying the beauty and finding your soul all go hand in hand. An exc rpt from "Did You Know, People Places &Untold Stories" by Sir Henry Fraser.