Jamestown, Saint Helena

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Jamestown

| official_name = City of James Town{{cite web|title=The St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/1751/schedule/made|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|access-date=26 November 2016}}"...and declared Jamestown to be a city called the "City of James Town"" (Schedule Preamble)

| image_skyline = {{photomontage

| photo1a = Overlooking Jamestown from the south.jpg

| photo2a = Jamestown Valley (15797554754).jpg

| photo2b = H.M. Prison (16210325157).jpg

| photo3a = Jamestown Main Street (26244327627).jpg

| size = 300

| spacing = 2

| color = transparent

| border = 0

}}

| imagesize = 300px

| image_caption =

| image_map = Jamestown in Saint Helena.svg

| map_caption = Jamestown in Saint Helena

| pushpin_map =

| mapsize =

| subdivision_type = Sovereign state

| subdivision_name = {{flagicon|UK}} United Kingdom

| subdivision_type1 = British overseas territory

| subdivision_name1 = {{Flag|Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha}}

| subdivision_type2 = Island

| subdivision_name2 = {{flag|Saint Helena}}

| subdivision_type3 = Status

| subdivision_name3 = City (1859);
District

| established_title = First settled

| established_date = 1659

| founder = English East India Company

| named_for = James, Duke of York

| seat_type = Capital of

| seat = Saint Helena;
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

| coordinates = {{coord|15|55|28|S|5|43|5|W|region:SH_type:city(714)|display=inline}}

| population_as_of = 2016

| population_total = 629

| area_total_km2 = 3.6

| population_density_km2 = 198.3

| population_urban = 1,614 (Jamestown and Half Tree Hollow)

| timezone1 = GMT

| area_code = +290 2xxx

| utc_offset1 = +0

}}

Jamestown is the capital city of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, located on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is also the historic main settlement of the island and is on its north-western coast. Before the development of the port at Rupert's Bay, it was the island's only port and the centre of the island's road and communications network. It was founded when colonists from the English East India Company settled on the island in 1659 and was briefly occupied by the Dutch East India Company in 1673 before being recaptured. Many of the buildings built by the East India Company in the 18th century survive and give the town its distinctive Georgian flavour.

The city briefly hosted Napoleon in 1815 during his exile on St. Helena and later served as a base for the Royal Navy's efforts to suppress the slave trade. It had no role during the First World War and only played a minor role during the Second World War.

History

File:Town of St James, Island of St Helena (1794).jpg

Jamestown was founded in 1659 by the East India Company and is named after James, Duke of York, the future King James II of England. A fort, originally named the Castle of St John, was quickly built and, with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the fort was renamed James Fort, the town Jamestown and the valley James Valley. The fort and associated gun batteries dominated James Bay and were sporadically improved over the years.{{cite web|last=Denholm|first=Ken|title=South Atlantic Fortress|url=http://shared.moonbeamsforall.com/sthelenasouthatlanticfortresskendenholm2006.pdf|website=Saint Helena Island Info|access-date=25 November 2016|pages=3–12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126003253/http://shared.moonbeamsforall.com/sthelenasouthatlanticfortresskendenholm2006.pdf|archive-date=26 November 2016|url-status=dead}} In January 1673 the Dutch East India Company briefly seized control of the island until the English East India Company recaptured it in May. Since then the town has been continuously inhabited under English and then British rule.{{cite web|title=A Brief History|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/briefhistory.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=23 November 2016}}

After his defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815 and the subsequent occupation of Paris, the Emperor of the French, Napoleon, surrendered to the British and was exiled to St Helena. He arrived on 21 October aboard the 74-gun ship {{HMS|Bellerophon|1786|6}} and resided at the Briars in Jamestown for several months until he was transferred to Longwood House in a more remote part of the island in December.{{cite web|title=Napoleon Bonaparte|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/napoleon.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=26 November 2016}} Jamestown was chosen to host a vice admiralty court and a naval base for British efforts to stop the slave traffic between Africa and the Americas. Captured slave ships were often brought to Jamestown to be sold and their cargos were off-loaded in Rupert's Valley. By the time that the naval station was closed in the 1870s, an estimated 25,000 slaves had been rescued, although about 5,000 died shortly after arrival and were buried in Rupert's Valley. Their graves, long lost, were rediscovered in 2006 in conjunction with preliminary digging for the airport. A team of archaeologists arrived in mid-2008 to excavate the graves. Some of the finds from the excavations are on exhibit at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, England.{{cite web|title=Slaves and slavery|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/slaves.htm#sthelenaandtheliberationofafricanslavesq|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=26 November 2016}}

The island was too isolated to play any role in the First World War and only played a minimal one during the Second World War. The oil tanker RFA Darkdale was sunk by the {{GS|U-68|1940|6}} in James Bay on 22 October 1941 with only nine of the 50-man crew surviving. She had been sent to St Helena a few months earlier to refuel ships operating in the South Atlantic. The wreck continued to leak small amounts of oil until June 2015 when the Ministry of Defence sent a team of divers to pump out all the remaining oil.{{cite web|title=Lost Ships|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/lostships.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=26 November 2016}}

Geography and description

File:Jamestown Jacobs Ladder.jpg]]

The city is built on igneous rock in the James Valley, sandwiched between steep cliffs. It is therefore rather long and thin. The walls of the valley are rough and steep, and rockfalls have been a problem, although now minimised by netting. A small stream, the Run, runs through the valley.{{cite web|title=The Run|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/run.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=26 November 2016}} The city is commonly divided into lower and upper parts, depending on the distance up James Valley. Being the island's main port (and with the Saint Helena Airport only receiving its first scheduled flight in October 2017) the city is still currently the main entrance to the island to visitors.{{cite web|title=Jamestown: Where It All Happens|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/jamestown.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=21 November 2016}} Despite not being connected to Jamestown proper by road, Rupert's Valley, the next valley north, is also part of the city. It houses much of the island's infrastructure, such as its power station and associated fuel storage, and a one-ship wharf was completed in June 2016.{{cite web|title=Rupert's: So Near, and Yet So Far|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/ruperts.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=23 November 2016}}

The city has over 100 listed buildings,{{cite web|title=Historic Buildings|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/historicbuildings.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=23 November 2016}} mostly from the Georgian era. Main Street has been described as "one of the best examples of unspoilt Georgian architecture anywhere in the world."{{cite web|title=About us|url=http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/about-us/|website=St Helena Government|access-date=23 November 2016|date=6 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503223322/http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/about-us/|archive-date=3 May 2019|url-status=dead}} Many buildings are built out of local volcanic rock. St James' Church dates from 1772 and is the oldest Anglican church in the Southern Hemisphere. Another of the city's prominent features is Jacob's Ladder, a staircase of 699 steps, built in 1829 to connect Jamestown to the former fort on Ladder Hill. The ladder is very popular with tourists, is lit at night and a timed run takes place there every year, with people coming from all over the world to take part.{{cite web|title=Jacob's Ladder: Stairway to Heaven?|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/jacobsladder.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=21 November 2016}} The Museum of Saint Helena is situated in Jamestown, one of two museums on the island (the other being Longwood House).

Formal status

File:District map of Saint Helena.png

Jamestown is formally a city, a status granted by Queen Victoria in 1859, and its full name is the "City of James Town". It is also one of the 8 districts (administrative divisions) and is the capital of both the island of Saint Helena and the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The Castle, one of the oldest buildings in the city, is one of the main government buildings.

Climate

Jamestown features a tropical hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification: BWh){{cite web|title=Jamestown Climate & Temperatures|url=http://www.saint-helena.climatemps.com/|website=www.saint-helena.climatemps.com|access-date=26 November 2016}} with essentially consistent temperatures throughout the year. Despite the fact that the city has a desert climate, its temperatures are moderated by the adjacent ocean and cold currents therein, leading to a cool climate for the deep tropical latitude. As a result, it seldom gets very hot in Jamestown. The temperature in the Jamestown area is some {{convert|5|C-change|0}} warmer than the rest of the island, because of the difference in altitude. While Jamestown receives less than {{convert|5|in|cm}} of rainfall per year, the higher parts of the island are also wetter than the city, which lies on the drier coast and in a sheltered location. The highlands above Jamestown receive up to {{convert|39|in|cm}} per year of precipitation and are lush with vegetation. The surrounding waters can be quite rough at times, and there is a sea wall to protect the settlement.

{{Weather box

|location = Jamestown

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 31.7

|Feb record high C = 32.2

|Mar record high C = 33.3

|Apr record high C = 33.9

|May record high C = 28.3

|Jun record high C = 27.2

|Jul record high C = 26.1

|Aug record high C = 25.6

|Sep record high C = 25.6

|Oct record high C = 25.6

|Nov record high C = 26.7

|Dec record high C = 27.8

|year record high C = 33.9

|Jan high C = 26.7

|Feb high C = 27.2

|Mar high C = 27.8

|Apr high C = 27.2

|May high C = 24.4

|Jun high C = 23.3

|Jul high C = 22.2

|Aug high C = 22.2

|Sep high C = 22.2

|Oct high C = 22.8

|Nov high C = 23.3

|Dec high C = 24.4

|year high C = 24.5

|Jan mean C = 23.6

|Feb mean C = 24.2

|Mar mean C = 24.8

|Apr mean C = 24.2

|May mean C = 21.9

|Jun mean C = 20.8

|Jul mean C = 19.7

|Aug mean C = 19.7

|Sep mean C = 19.7

|Oct mean C = 20.3

|Nov mean C = 20.8

|Dec mean C = 21.6

|year mean C = 21.8

|Jan low C = 20.6

|Feb low C = 21.1

|Mar low C = 21.7

|Apr low C = 21.1

|May low C = 19.4

|Jun low C = 18.3

|Jul low C = 17.2

|Aug low C = 17.2

|Sep low C = 17.2

|Oct low C = 17.8

|Nov low C = 18.3

|Dec low C = 18.9

|year low C = 19.1

|Jan record low C = 17.2

|Feb record low C = 18.9

|Mar record low C = 18.9

|Apr record low C = 17.2

|May record low C = 16.1

|Jun record low C = 16.1

|Jul record low C = 14.4

|Aug record low C = 15.0

|Sep record low C = 14.4

|Oct record low C = 15.6

|Nov record low C = 16.7

|Dec record low C = 15.6

|year record low C = 14.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 8

|Feb precipitation mm = 10

|Mar precipitation mm = 20

|Apr precipitation mm = 10

|May precipitation mm = 18

|Jun precipitation mm = 18

|Jul precipitation mm = 8

|Aug precipitation mm = 10

|Sep precipitation mm = 5

|Oct precipitation mm = 3

|Nov precipitation mm = 0

|Dec precipitation mm = 3

|year precipitation mm = 114

|Jan rain days= 4

|Feb rain days= 4

|Mar rain days= 5

|Apr rain days= 3

|May rain days= 4

|Jun rain days= 6

|Jul rain days= 8

|Aug rain days= 3

|Sep rain days= 2

|Oct rain days= 0.7

|Nov rain days= 0

|Dec rain days= 1

|year rain days= 41

| Jan humidity = 63

| Feb humidity = 65

| Mar humidity = 64

| Apr humidity = 65

| May humidity = 72

| Jun humidity = 72

| Jul humidity = 74

| Aug humidity = 76

| Sep humidity = 75

| Oct humidity = 72

| Nov humidity = 72

| Dec humidity = 65

| year humidity =

|source 1 = Sistema de Clasificación Bioclimática Mundial{{cite web

| url = http://www.globalbioclimatics.org/station/st-james.htm

| title = jamestown (St. Helena -UK)

| publisher = Centro de Investigaciones Fitosociológicas

| access-date = 17 October 2019

| archive-date = 18 October 2019

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191018022345/http://www.globalbioclimatics.org/station/st-james.htm

| url-status = dead

}}

|source 2 = BBC Weather,{{cite web

| url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT004840 | title =Average Conditions Jamestown, St Helena| access-date =25 November 2016| publisher =BBC Weather |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091111024240/http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT004840 |archive-date=11 November 2009 }} Danish Meteorological Institute (humidity 1931–1960){{cite web | last1 = Cappelen | first1 = John | last2 = Jensen | first2 = Jens | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130427173827/http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/tr01-17.pdf | archive-date = 27 April 2013 | url = http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/tr01-17.pdf | work = Climate Data for Selected Stations (1931-1960) | title = St. Helena - jamestown | page = 233 | publisher = Danish Meteorological Institute | language = da | access-date = 17 October 2019}}

|date=November 2009

}}

Population

File:View of central Jamestown from the top of Jacob's Ladder.jpg

As of 2016, the district Jamestown had 629 residents,{{cite web|title=St Helena 2016 Population & Housing: Census Summary Report|url=http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Census-2016-Summary-Report.pdf|website=Census 2016|publisher=St Helena Statistics Office|access-date=21 November 2016|page=12}} a significant decline since the 2008 population of 714.{{cite web|url=http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Census-Report-2008.pdf |title=2008 Population Census of St Helena |publisher=St Helena Government |access-date=21 September 2016}} The city's population has been shrinking and it is no longer the largest settlement on the island, having been surpassed by Half Tree Hollow, Saint Paul's and Longwood.

Education

As a British territory, the island follows the British education system. There is one primary school, serving children ages four to eleven,{{cite web|title=Education and Employment|url=http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/education-and-employment/|website=St Helena|access-date=21 November 2016|date=2 February 2013}} in Jamestown, Pilling Primary School, which was created by the amalgamation of Jamestown First School and Pilling Middle School in September 2007.{{cite web|title=Pilling Primary School: Value for Money Report|url=http://audit.gov.sh/publications/vfm_pilling_primary_%20school_report_final.pdf|website=St Helena Audit Service|access-date=21 November 2016|page=3|archive-date=5 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305004824/http://audit.gov.sh/publications/vfm_pilling_primary_%20school_report_final.pdf|url-status=dead}} The island's only secondary school is Prince Andrew School in Saint Paul's.{{cite web|title=St. Paul's|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/stpauls.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=21 November 2016}}

Religion

File:Church059 Anglican-St James' Church Jamestown.jpg in 1984]]

The Anglican Parish of St. James is one of the three parishes of the Diocese of St Helena on the island. St James' Church is the primary church in the parish and is the oldest Anglican Church in the southern hemisphere; the present building was put up in 1772. There are 3 daughter churches: St John's, in Upper Jamestown, St Mary's, the Briars, and St Michael's, in Rupert's Valley.{{cite web|title=The Diocese of St Helena|url=http://www.dioceseofsthelena.com/|website=www.dioceseofsthelena.com|access-date=21 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710130456/http://www.dioceseofsthelena.com/|archive-date=10 July 2011|url-status=dead}} The sole Catholic Church in St Helena, Sacred Heart Church, is located in Jamestown;{{cite web|title=Church of the Sacred Heart, Jamestown, Saint Helena, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha|url=http://www.gcatholic.org/churches/islands/15616.htm|website=www.gcatholic.org|access-date=21 November 2016}} as is a Baptist church.{{cite web|title=Churches of St Helena|url=http://sainthelenaisland.info/churches.htm|website=sainthelenaisland.info|access-date=21 November 2016}}

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline|Jamestown, Saint Helena}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.btinternet.com/~sa_sa/st_helena/st_helena_jamestown.html |title=St Helena – Jamestown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604234722/http://www.btinternet.com/~sa_sa/st_helena/st_helena_jamestown.html |archive-date= 4 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20071210014843/http://ags.ou.edu/~bweaver/Ascension/jamestn.htm More pictures of Jamestown]
[http://sainthelenaisland.info Saint Helena Island Information website]

{{Coord|15|55|28|S|5|43|5|W|region:SH_type:city(714)|display=title}}

Category:Saint Helena

Category:Populated places in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Category:Districts of Saint Helena

Category:Port cities in Africa

Category:Capitals in Africa

Category:Populated places established in 1659

Category:Capitals of British Overseas Territories

Category:1659 establishments in the British Empire

Category:1659 establishments in Africa

Category:Ports and harbours of dependent territories of the United Kingdom