Old Road Town is where Thomas Warner started the first permanent English settlement in the Caribbean, in 1623. Romney Manor and Wingfield Estate sit on the hill behind the village, about 25 minutes from Port Zante. Give them a morning.
The Drive from Port Zante
To reach Romney Manor, 7 miles (11 km) from the port, head west out of Basseterre on the main island road with the sea on your left and stay on it through Challengers until you reach Old Road.
Driving is on the left. You need a temporary driving permit. We add it for US$24 when you book. Read our driving rules and safety guide before you set off, and check how far attractions are from Port Zante for drive times to the rest of the island.
Romney Manor is about 25 minutes from Port Zante by car.
Pick up your car at Port Zante or RLB Airport from US$65 a day.
Bloody Point, Ten Minutes Out of Town
The Bloody Point marker stands by the road just before Challengers. In 1626 English and French settlers killed the Kalinago chief, Tegreman, then massacred his people here, about 2,000 of them by the historian Vincent Hubbard’s estimate.
Amerindian petroglyphs survive nearby. Stop for a few minutes.
Old Road Town and the 1623 Settlement
Warner’s settlers built on the land now covered by the Romney Manor and Wingfield estates, and Caribelle Batik points to strong evidence that Tegreman’s own village stood on the same ground.
Drive about 5 minutes further west from the Romney Manor turn and you reach St Thomas Anglican Church at Middle Island, on the site of the first Anglican church in the West Indies. Warner’s tomb is in the churchyard.
Romney Manor and Caribelle Batik
In Old Road, turn right up the hill. The road is paved, and a small car gets up with no problem.
Park on the property. You drive in one way and leave by a separate lane. The upper level is wheelchair accessible.
The estate takes its name from the Earl of Romney, and in 1834 the earl of the day was the only planter in St Kitts who wanted to free his enslaved workers outright instead of making them serve an apprenticeship. The other planters blocked him. On 2 May 1835 he released about 75 of them from apprenticeship anyway.
The old manor house burned down in 1995. Caribelle Batik has worked on the grounds since the 1970s, and you can watch its artists demonstrate batik before you browse the shop.
The saman tree is the favourite. Caribelle puts it at over 400 years old and calls it the oldest living thing in St Kitts. It is 24 feet around. Its spread covers half an acre.
Caribelle Batik is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. Closed Sundays. From November to April it also opens on Saturdays from 9am, but its website gives two different Saturday closing times, so call (869) 465-6253 before a Saturday visit.
Adults pay US$3 (residents US$2), and children under 12 go free. You pay only while the shop is open. The gardens may be open outside shop hours.
Cruise tour groups stay about 40 minutes, and visitors tell Caribelle that is not enough. Give it an hour.
The Rainforest Bar on the grounds serves drinks. Watch for vervet monkeys.
Wingfield Estate and the Old Road Rum Distillery
Wingfield, next door, belonged to John Jeafferson, who came out with Warner, and Old Road Rum dates the first rum made here to 1681 from the records of John’s son Christopher.
The ruins are the oldest surviving rum distillery in the Caribbean, and you can walk in free to see them and the aqueduct. No tour needed. The bar welcomes walk-ins too.
Old Road Rum bottles its 12-year tropically aged rum on the estate, and in 2025 it was named Rum of the Year at the Bartender Spirits Awards. The optional tasting and tour takes 60 minutes and costs US$75 per person, and you can book it on oldroadrum.com or by calling (869) 662-6888. The wristband also gets you into Romney Manor.
For more rum on the island, see our guide to the best rum punch in St Kitts.
Spectrum ATV Tours starts its guided ATV rides at Wingfield. Sky Safari runs its zipline from the estate too, with five lines in a two-hour tour that goes ahead year round in any weather except thunderstorms.
At Sky Safari, adults pay US$99. Children 13 and under and seniors 65 and over pay US$75, and people living in the Caribbean pay US$60. Riders must be at least 6 years old and weigh 60 to 275 pounds.
Adding Brimstone Hill on a Port Day
Brimstone Hill Fortress is about 10 minutes north of Romney Manor on the same road, open daily from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Adults pay US$15. Children 12 and under pay half.
On a weekday, collect the car at 8am and stop at Bloody Point on the way out, and you still reach Romney Manor before it opens at 9. Spend an hour there. After 60 to 90 minutes at the fortress, the 35 to 45 minute drive back gets you to Port Zante by about 12:30pm.
Our one day itinerary pairs the fortress with the beaches, and if you would rather keep going north than turn back, follow the full island loop.
Food and Practical Stops
Sprat Net Bar and Grill, by the bay in Old Road, opens Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm to 10pm, so for lunch eat in Basseterre before you leave or check where to eat in St Kitts by car.
Use the restrooms at Port Zante first. Romney Manor’s are in the courtyard by the entrance. Wingfield has restrooms too.
There is a petrol station on the coast road along this stretch.
Bring some cash. Several ATMs are close to Port Zante, and the one at the Mapau Casino there gives out US dollars. National Bank (SKNANB) has more along the way, including one in Old Road.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Romney Manor from the cruise port?
About 25 minutes and 7 miles (11 km) from Port Zante, west along the main island road through Challengers to Old Road.
Is there an entry fee at Romney Manor?
Yes. Adults pay US$3 (residents US$2), and children under 12 go free. The fee applies only while the Caribelle Batik shop is open, and the gardens may be open outside those hours.
What days is Caribelle Batik open?
Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm, and Saturdays from November to April. Call (869) 465-6253 to check Saturday closing times. It is closed on Sundays.
How old is the saman tree at Romney Manor?
Over 400 years old, according to Caribelle Batik.
Can I drive a small car up to Romney Manor?
Yes. The road up is paved.
Can I visit Romney Manor and Brimstone Hill in one port day?
Yes. They are 10 minutes apart on the same road. Allow an hour at Romney Manor and 60 to 90 minutes at the fortress.
Book Your Car Rental
Our automatic cars rent from US$65 a day. Buy your US$24 temporary driving permit online before you travel.
Pick up and return at Port Zante, RLB International Airport or our Basseterre office in Greenlands, 7am to 6pm daily, or have us deliver free within about 16km. Book your car.
Related Guides
- Brimstone Hill Fortress Driving Guide
- The Full Island Loop, Driving Around St Kitts in a Day
- One Day St Kitts Driving Itinerary for Cruise Passengers
- How Far Major Attractions Are from the Cruise Port
- Where to Find the Best Rum Punch in St Kitts
- Where to Eat in St Kitts by Car
- Basseterre on Foot and by Car
- Black Rocks and the Volcanic Coast
- Dieppe Bay and the Black Sand Beach
- Where to See Vervet Monkeys by Car
- Car Rental in St Kitts from the Cruise Port
- Driving in St Kitts, Rules, Safety and Tips
Photo: Karibik, St. Kitts – Romney Manor by giggel, CC BY 3.0.
