At the turn of the 20th century, much of life in the East End of Tortola centered around the Methodist church, a small wooden chapel built in 1810. After the hurricanes of 1819, 1867 and 1871 each destroyed the subsequent buildings, the undaunted residents built the church up again, this time with 16” thick walls and a hip roof, that, unlike many buildings surrounding it, faired relatively well in the devastating hurricanes of 2017. Arriving in the late 1700’s, the early Methodist missionaries often found themselves at odds with the local government who were concerned the local gatherings would lead to future revolts, but when Emancipation was declared in 1834, many liberated slaves came to the church to hear the reading of the proclamation of freedom.
Across from the church, history comes alive in a series of murals, painted by a team of local artists led by Cedric Turnbull, depicting many of the activities held by the church and in the surrounding village, including harvest and school sessions, baptisms and games.
Approximately a 20 minute taxi ride from the Cruise Pier, through the village of East End, and on the way to the stunning Long Bay beach, this is an easy stop to take in a small piece of BVI history.