Government House Bermuda
This gorgeous mansion of Victorian architecture was built in 1892 and is located in the northern outskirts of Hamilton city. You can see its sprawling lawns from the junction where the Black Watch Pass meets North Shore road.
Government House is the official residence or the home of Bermuda's Governor. The building sits on a hill top, and overlooks the beautiful north shore. The property with its lawns, tennis courts and swimming pool covers an area of over 210 acres. The Governor in Bermuda is appointed by Her Majesty The Queen of England on consultation with the Premier of Bermuda. The usual term is for 4 years although it can get extended. Bermuda continues to be a British Overseas Territory and therefore needs to follow certain guidelines from Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. However, Bermuda is otherwise fairly autonomous in its governance and has its own set of laws.
The role of the Governor is to apprise Britain on the state of affairs in Bermuda and at the same time ensure that the British guidelines as an Overseas Territory are followed in the island. Bermuda Governor's salary is paid by the island's tax payers. You can see a Governor's own flag flying in the property when he is in the island. Government House in Bermuda has beautiful manicured gardens, a full Olympic size swimming pool, tennis courts and wide range of plantation including cedars and spice trees.
The property is not open to public since March 1973. This was when a gruesome incident took place at the lawns here. The then Governor Sir Richard Sharples and his aide Captain Hugh Sayers were both assassinated while they were taking a stroll in the evening. A state wide emergency was declared. Subsequently the guilty was tried and executed. That resulted in an island wide riot and loss of many lives.
Update May 2014: The garden at Government House is again made open to public on every Sunday afternoon (12 - 5pm, from 27th April until 31st August 2014). Tourists and locals can visit the beautiful landscaped garden and enjoy the lush greenery. They should use the North Gate on North Shore Road for entry and exit. No parking is available on the grounds, so you should either use public transport or bicycles. The garden will remain open through summer on all Sundays during this period except the Sunday of cup match days.
On special occasions like when some Bermudians are bestowed with lifetime achievements awards by the Queen of England, they get the privilege to receive such awards from the Governor at the Government House.
Also when the Garden Club of Bermuda organizes Open Houses and Gardens tours that includes the Government House, one can see the stately rooms of the house with grand furnishing including the room where Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II had stayed on several occasions.
Some of the other world figures who have stayed here includes Prince Charles, Sir Winston Churchill, President John F. Kennedy and Princess Margaret.
Every year in June, the Governor holds a party at the lawns of the Government House. There are many different kinds of trees that have been planted in the park here. Some have been planted by the visiting British Governors or by other Royal visitors. The property is the largest among all the residential as well as commercial properties in the island. Earlier, it used to be a private home and of much smaller size. Then it was known as Mount Langton.
The building has been designed by the Scottish architect William Hay who had also designed the
Bermuda Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity.
Location and Contacts
11 Langton Hill, Pembroke Parish, Bermuda.
Phone: 441/292-1271.
|
 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
|
Related Articles
1) Check out
Hamilton Bermuda for attractions, activities and other information about Hamilton city.
2) Check out
Pembroke Parish know about the parish where Hamilton City is located and also about all its attractions, activities, restaurants, hotels and more.
|
Visitors' Reviews and Comments
Christopher Thurlby
I was a resident of Bermuda for 10 years arriving on the shortly after the terrible events in March of 1973. The Island was magical for this then thirty something American. I met my wife of now 36 years (we courted at Government House!) and my four children cried their first "Um-Ums" at KEHB. I am writing to take issue with the phrase above "...that resulted in an island wide riot and loss of many lives." in reference to the hangings of Burrows and Tacklyn 6 years later. It is my recollection that although there was extensive property damage the only deaths other than the executed were three persons burned tragically in a hotel fire. If I am right you may want to rephrase the above to eliminate the unwarranted suggestion of a massacre. What really happened was enough without embellishment.
Raj (Editor/Bermuda-Attractions.Com)
Hello, Thanks for writing to me. I am including your note and observation here so that the readers understand your perspective as well. Thanks and Regards.
|
