Travel Photo Friday: Sam Lord's Castle, Barbados

Today's Travel Photo Friday is a little sad. The tale goes like this....in the parish of St Phillip on the Caribbean island of Barbados was a beautiful Georgian mansion. It was built in 1820 by a notorious buccaneer Samuel Hall Lord, known as 'Sam Lord'. Legend has it that Sam Lord acquired his wealth by plundering ships, which he lured onto the reefs off the coast, by hanging lanterns in the palm trees. Captains mistook these lights for the island's capital, Bridgetown, and wrecked their ships on the reefs. 


For years, the property was run as a stunning hotel, but it was sadly consumed by fire in 2010, and remains closed to this day. It's incredibly spooky to wander round the ruins, seeing the effects the sea air has had on the building, and think of the good times people had holidaying at the hotel. 

Top tip: The beach by the hotel is secluded and stunning, so if you find yourself in this area of Barbados - have a wander round, and pop down to the beach for a swim!

If you have a photo you'd like to contribute, please get in touch - and I'd also love to hear your own stories of derelict properties that you may have come across on your travels!

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