RIVER DOREE CHURCH AND SCHOOL

Grace Church was built in 1834 by the Alexander family of Scotland and is the oldest Anglican Church in all of St. Lucia.

The remains of the family and those of an African Prince known as Prince John lie in the family enclosure in the cemetery across the road. The Church bell was originally hung in a mango tree that was for many years called Mango Cloche.

Unfortunately, the tree it was cut down in 1992.

The River Doree Primary School was the first to be built after St. Lucia’s Emancipation in 1834. In September, 1838 ‘Mico School’ as it was known was opened at River Doree.

River Doree, between the 18th and 19th Centuries, was the main center of activity in Choiseul. In fact, it developed before Choiseul. It was the main center of trade in the area as the lagoon near the bay was naturally deep.

River Doree housed the ‘bourgeois’ of the district, mostly comprised of English Estate owners. Thus, the presence of the Church of England was indeed felt and flourished in this community.

Towards the end of the 19th century the population of Choiseul was estimated at about 4,000 and there were quite a few Protestants in the River Doree District.

At this time most of Choiseul’s population was disseminated in rural villages, much the way it is today. In 1869 there were only 43 individuals living in 18 houses in the village.

It is worth noting too, that the first Parish Priest of Choiseul, Abbé Gerfroy lived at River Doree. He became Parish Priest after Choiseul became an independent parish (it formed part of Soufriere’s Parish previously) in 1765.

He was born in Provence (Southern France) in 1718.  Consequently, the Church Register began for Choiseul in 1765.

THE SALTIBUS WATERFALL TRAIL

SAB WEE-SHA BEACH PARK

BALENBOUCHE ESTATE

ANSE L’IVROGNE BEACH

MORNE SION WINDMILLS

PON GEORGE

CHOISEUL CHURCH

RIVER DOREE CHURCH AND SCHOOL