Built by a Missionary and Enslaved Workers in 1818: Jamaica’s Oldest Baptist Church Turns 200

• Phillippo Baptist Church in Spanish Town marked 200 years in 2019
• Rev James Murcell Phillippo founded the congregation in 1818
• The Georgian brick and stone chapel has survived several major hurricanes
• Termite and storm damage required repairs that preserved its exterior

Phillippo Baptist Church on William Street in Spanish Town, St Catherine, closed its 200th anniversary year in February 2019, the Jamaica Observer reported. Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and Chief Justice Bryan Sykes attended the closing ceremony, led by the Rev Jeffrey McKenzie.

The church was founded in 1818 by the Rev James Murcell Phillippo, an English-born Baptist missionary and abolitionist. It is Jamaica’s oldest Baptist church and among the oldest in the Caribbean. According to the report, Phillippo and enslaved workers built the chapel together.

The building reflects the Georgian style. It is rectangular, built of red brick and stone with shingles, and has three porches and seats about 200 people. It has come through Hurricanes Charlie, Gilbert, Ivan and Dean. Termites and storms have taken their toll, and repairs have been made while keeping the character of the exterior.

The congregation has also extended Phillippo’s commitment to education. The church now offers a skills training programme, legal aid, scholarships and mentorship. Its year of celebration, under the theme “Jehovah God, Our Foundation”, included symposiums, a harvest, health clinics, a homecoming, a banquet and awards.

Churches like Phillippo Baptist are among the oldest buildings in Jamaica still in daily use, and keeping them standing costs money: termite treatment, roofing and careful repairs that respect heritage materials. Homecoming events and anniversaries draw members who now live overseas, and they are a natural time to raise funds for maintenance. For diaspora Jamaicans with roots in Spanish Town, supporting the upkeep of a 200-year-old church is one way to keep a piece of the country’s post-emancipation history in good repair. A written maintenance plan, backed by a dedicated building fund, gives donors abroad something specific to support year after year.

Follow Jamaica Homes on Youtube @jamaicahomes and Instagram @jamaica_homes and on Facebook @jamaicahomesnews Send us a message or email us at onlinefeedback@jamaica-homes.com or editor@jamaica-homes.com