The sea of sugarcane south of Montego Bay is part of the Barnett Estate, a plantation owned and operated since 1755 by the Kerr-Jarretts, one of Jamaica’s preeminent families; their holdings once included most of the Montego Bay area. Today the family holds the land and its accompanying Great House, the Bellefield, in trust for the government and manages it accordingly.
Built in 1735, Bellefield has been restored and is now a showcase of 18th-century colonial living and Jamaican culinary history, which makes for an interesting mash-up of historical tourism catering to the traveler-cum-foodie demographic. You’ll get to see the local gardens, meander past an on-site jerk pit, get pleasantly drunk on rum punch, wander the house and then gorge yourself at a delicious lunch buffet. Tours must be arranged at least 24 hours in advance. There's a four person minimum.
The estate is about 800m to the east of Doctor’s Hospital, about 15 minutes from downtown Montego Bay heading southeast along Fairfield Rd. It’s poorly signed: take the right turn at the Y-fork marked for Day-O Plantation, then the signed right turn at Granville Police Station.
