Old Iron Bridge

Kingston, Blue Mountains & the Southeast Coast


This narrow cast-iron bridge is the first of its kind in the Americas, and is another reminder of the deep connections between the Industrial Revolution and Caribbean colonial slavery. It was prefabricated in England and erected in 1801 on a cut-stone foundation that dates to 1675. To find it, turn left onto Bourkes Rd at the bottom of Barrett St, and follow it east to the Rio Cobre river.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kingston, Blue Mountains & the Southeast Coast attractions

1. St Jago de la Vega Cathedral

0.31 MILES

Built in 1714, this is the oldest Anglican cathedral in the Caribbean, boasting an impressive beamed ceiling, and a magnificent stained-glass window…

2. House of Assembly

0.47 MILES

On the eastern side of Parade Sq is the redbrick House of Assembly, erected in 1762 and today housing the offices of the St Catherine Parish Council. It…

3. Courthouse Ruins

0.48 MILES

On the south side of Parade Sq you pass the fenced-off Courthouse Ruins, destroyed in 1986 by fire. The Georgian building dates from 1819, when it was…

4. Parade

0.49 MILES

Spanish Town’s finest old buildings enfold this square (more formally known as Emancipation Sq).

6. Rodney Memorial

0.51 MILES

Dominating Parade Sq on the north side is the elaborate Rodney Memorial, built in honor of Admiral George Rodney, who crowned his four-year service as…

7. National Archives

0.53 MILES

The building behind the Rodney Memorial is the National Archives, with national documents dating back centuries, including the proclamation of the…

8. Old King’s House Ruins

0.53 MILES

On the west side of Emancipation Sq is the porticoed Georgian redbrick facade of the ruins of the Old King’s House, a once-grandiose building erected in…