Folly Ruins

A crumbling testament to the power of pursuing a dream,

“Folly Ruins” on the northeast coast of Jamaica, stirs the imagination.

This derelict-mansion-house on a private peninsula adjacent to Port Antonia,

still draws visitors to the quiet corner of the island.

From wealthy American explorers to dance hall artists,

the history of 'Folly Mansion' is a Jamaican legend.

In 1904, Folly Point was a quiet, unspoilt outcrop on this far-flung British colony. The uninterupted views of the Caribbean Sea are captivating ~ and the lush Blue Mountains dominate the skyline. The local Titchfield Hotel was the place to be seen for wealthy visitors seeking a bit of winter sun. One, in particular, Alfred Mitchell from Connecticut, was so encaptured by the location that he chose to build a winter home for himself and his wife, Anne (member of the Tiffany family from Salem, Connecticut).

The costly undertaking resulted in the magnificent mansion house

with an indoor salt-water pool...a private power station...

and copula room for admiring the view.

The grounds were cultivated as a tropical garden which thrived in what is the wettish parish in Jamaica.

However, Mitchell died just 6 years after its completion ~ and his wife sold it and left 2 years later.The new owners didn't stay long either ~ and the property ended up abandoned only 12 years after it was built. There was a brief amount of relief when the famous actor, Errol Flynn considered buying the house. However, the Jamaican Government had taken over the property by then ~ and only offered a lease. The slow decline into ruin began under government management. As so many of the older grand houses of Jamaica, neglect and looting accelerated Mother Nature's work. By 1935, the roof had fallen in as a consequence of the supporting structure being looted and the wooden floors were long gone.

Local legend has it, that the use of 'salt water' in the concrete

was the cause of the building's ruin.

There is no evidence of this; in fact, the concrete portion of the structure

is the only part that remains.

Folly Ruins offer an atmospheric reminder of times gone by. Fenced off for safety reasons, it is still possible to visit the site ~ and marvel at what must have been a magnificent property.

Folly Ruins have been attributed to a foolish and prideful man...hoping to impress his bride...

built by an American as a gift to his betrothed.

In his rush to construct the mansion, he foolishly had the cement mixed with salt water

for the sake of expediency which weakened the structural

and rusted the steel infrastructural.

When the rich American carried his new wife across the threshold, she saw that it was already falling apart and explained, “What a Folly!” She left Jamaica ~ and never returned.

And the rich man left “Folly Mansion” to crumble ~

like their love ~ back into the sand.

Writer's Comment: Having read this true-life story, reminded me of one of my several visits to vacation in Jamaica... friends drove me by this historic dilemma... symbolic of love and life.

Written by Merle Baird-Kerr...May 22, 2019

To respond: mbairdkerr@bell.net