The Chapel at the Mona Campus of the University of the West indies
is set in a scene far distant from that in which it spent the greater
part of its existence. It began life in 1799 as a stately Georgian
building on the sugar estate of Gale's Valley in Trelawny, one of
the north-western parishes of Jamaica. By 1955, still in its original
site, it had long ceased to play any part in the sugar factory for
which it was constructed, but still attracted the occasional visitor.
Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and Chancellor
of the University College of the West Indies, suggested to Mrs. Kelly-Lawson,
then owner of the Hampden and Gale's Valley estates, that this fine
example of West Indian architecture could be preserved for greater
usefulness if presented to the University for reconstruction as
a Chapel.
In work supervised by the College's first Resident Engineer, Mr.
A. D. Scott, the old building was taken down and transferred
stone by numbered stone, across the island. Part of
the transportation cost was paid by the Custos of the Parish
of St. James, then the Honourable, later Sir Francis Kerr.
Princess Alice had by that time received, from a Canadian
donor who wished to remain anonymous, a handsome gift of 40,000
pounds sterling for the building of the Chapel.
The building of the new Chapel began in April 1956; the corner stone
was laid on June 5, 1956 by then Governor of Jamaica, Sir Hugh MacIntosh
Foot (later Lord Caradon); and the first Service was held on the
last Sunday of Trinity Term 1959; June 21 1959. The Chapel
was dedicated on February 14, 1960, during the Service of Commemoration
marking the Installation (February 16, 1950) of Princess Alice as
Chancellor.
Messrs. Norman and Dawbarn, a London firm of architects supervised
the reconstruction of the building , harmonising the gracious Georgian
style of the original with the more austere contemporary functional
design which they had used in other buildings at Mona. A portico
was later erected at the west door.
Running the full length of the north wall of the Chapel, just below
the coping, can be seen the inscription
"Edward Morant Gayle Esquire 1799"
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