History: Good Hope began in 1774 as a sugar estate and grew into a village to support the workers after emancipation. In the 18th century, the Good Hope Estate belonged to John Tharpe, then the largest land and slave owner in Jamaica. Aside from Good Hope, Windsor Estate, the extensive Long Pond Estate and a number of other smaller sugar plantations in Trelawny belonged to Tharpe, who had as many as 3,000 slaves to run the plantations. In addition, Tharpe owned much of the prime waterfront property in Falmouth, and his townhouse, now the Falmouth branch of the government tax office, is still one of the most elegant structures in the town. The small village has some of the best examples of Georgian architecture in the island, and the churchyard has many old and interesting tombstones. At dawn, the Cockpit Country comes alive, and the energetic songs of wild birds float gently on the morning mists.
Good Hope is more than just an estate home; it is, as it probably was in the 18th century, a model for elegant country living. The property is now a part of Chris Blackwell’s Island Trading Group, and has retained its Colonial stature and appeal even through its transformation into a luxurious villa complex with all the modern conveniences.
What to See & Do: Good Hope Estate boasts over 2,000 acres of lush plant life, primary jungle, scenic views of the Cockpit country, majestic Martha Brae River, as well as the historic Great House. Once a working village and sugar plantation, the 1700s Good Hope Estate is the Caribbean’s first and only nature adventure park with an unparalleled variety of adventures and cultural experiences including the thrilling zipline canopy, rugged ATV and Dune Buggy adventures, relaxing jungle river tubing, Appleton Rum Tasting, Great House tour, and bird aviary. With 17 working buildings, including the Great House, it is the ideal location to incorporate adventure while maintaining the history, culture, and natural beauty of the beautiful Good Hope Estate. The addition of the Jungle Adventure Falls has created even more family fun in a safe and splash-filled area. With 3 pools, a cascading waterfall, river walk, and 300ft slide the whole family will create memories to last a lifetime.
