Clarendon Parish, Jamaica

Clarendon
Clarendon
Parish
	May Pen town centre
	Clarendon in Jamaica
	Coordinates: 18°00′N 77°17′W / 18.000°N 77.283°W
Country	Jamaica
County	Middlesex
Named for	Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Parish capital	May Pen
Largest city	May Pen
Area
• Total	1,196 km2 (462 sq mi)
Population (2012)
• Total	246,322
Website	www.localgovjamaica.gov.jm/localauthorities.aspx?c=Clarendon

Clarendon is a

Saint Ann. Its capital and largest town is May Pen

.

History

Lionel Town

Pool, Clarendon

Clarendon was named in honour of the

Parish registers, which are records kept by the parish church of religious events such as baptisms, marriages, and burials, are still extant from Clarendon parish almost as far back as its foundation, with the first recorded baptism dated in 1666.^[2]^[3]

146030

Geography and population

Covering an area of 1,196 km², Clarendon ranks as Jamaica's third largest parish. The parish is predominantly a wide plain, marked by several rivers, including the Rio Minho, which runs the length of the parish. Toward the northern end of the parish lies the Mocho Mountains (2000 ft), and Bull Head Mountain range (2800 ft), which is considered to be the geographical centre of the island. The Vere plain is another significant geographical feature.

Portland Point, the southernmost point of

alumina

on the eastern side of the peninsula.

With a population at an estimated 246,322,^[1] Clarendon is one of the most populous parishes in the island. May Pen, the capital, has a population estimated at around 60,000.^{[citation needed]}

Notable towns

Economy

sugar-cane

production contributes significantly to the amount of sugar exported annually. The Denbigh agricultural showground is on the outskirts of May Pen.

One of the top ten

credit unions in Jamaica, GSB Co-operative Credit Union

has a branch here.

Clarendon is the location of the

spa famous for the therapeutic

value of its waters. The oldest church on the island is in Alley, the old capital of Vere.

Halse Hall Great House is one of the island's historic houses. The land on which the house stands was given to an English officer, Major Thomas Halse, in 1655, and was passed from him to Francis Sadler Halse. Halse played a leading role in the Maroon Wars.

The Denbigh Agricultural Show Grounds – once a year, on the weekend prior to Independence celebrations, a national Agriculture Show is staged here.

Vernamfield was the first car-racing track established in Jamaica. The track is located on the former American lend lease air base,

Remington de B. Vernam. Vernam Field is known for drag racing

.

The Woodleigh racetrack outside of May Pen is known for
dirtbike
racing.
It is the home of the New Yarmouth, Sevens Estate and Moneymusk Sugar factories.

Politics

Clarendon Parish elects six MPs to the Parliament of Jamaica.

Places of interest

Notable people

Dennis Alcapone (born 1947), reggae DJ and producer
Michael Allen (born 1964), Canadian football player
Rodolph Austin (born 1985), footballer
Davina Bennett (born 1996), model, Miss Universe 2017 Top 3
Michael Blackwood
(born 1976), athlete
Simon Brown (born 1963), boxer
Cocoa Tea, born Calvin George Scott (born 1959), reggae singer
Rohan Davey (born 1978), American football quarterback
R. James deRoux (1930-2012), Businessman and longest serving Custos 1981-2011
Lacena Golding-Clarke (born 1975), sprinter
Mona Hammond (1931–2022), actress
Dalton Harris (born 1993), singer
Toots & The Maytals
Elizabeth Home, Countess of Home (1703/04–1784), heiress and plantation owner
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle (1628–1685), governor of Jamaica from 1678–1680
Leonard Howell (1898–1981), founder of Rastafari, born in Clarendon 1898
Glen Johnson (born 1969), boxer
Linton Kwesi Johnson (born 1952), poet
Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon (born 1952), mother of Stephen Lawrence
Stephen Lawrence (1974–1993), murdered in Eltham, London
, buried in Clarendon

Barrington Levy (born 1964), singer
Atlee Mahorn (born 1965), Canadian sprinter
Freddie McGregor (born 1956), singer
Claude McKay (1890–1948), part of the Harlem Renaissance, born in James Hill
Liz Mitchell, of Boney M. (born 1952), singer
Derrick Morgan (born 1940), musical artist
Raphael Morgan (Robert Josias Morgan) (c. 1866–1922), missionary and first Black Orthodox priest in the U.S.
OMI
(born 1986), reggae singer
Levi Roots (born 1958), born Keith Valentine Graham, singer, chef
Catherine Scott (born 1973), athlete
Jah Shaka (died 2023), sound system operator
Millie Small (1947–2020), singer and songwriter, best known for "My Boy Lollipop"
Super Cat (born 1963), DJ
Roger Thompson (born 1991), Canadian footballer

References

^ ^a ^b "Population by Parish". Statistical Institute of Jamaica. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
^ "Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664–1880." Index and Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2014. Citing Diocese of Jamaica. Registrar General's Department, Spanish Town.
^ "History of Clarendon" (PDF). National Library of Jamaica. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2019.

External links

[population-1] "Population by Parish". Statistical Institute of Jamaica. Retrieved 16 September 2015.

[2] "Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664–1880." Index and Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2014. Citing Diocese of Jamaica. Registrar General's Department, Spanish Town.

[3] "History of Clarendon" (PDF). National Library of Jamaica. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2019.

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v t e Counties and Parishes of Jamaica
Cornwall County	Hanover Saint Elizabeth Saint James Trelawny Westmoreland	Jamaica portal
Middlesex County	Clarendon Manchester Saint Ann Saint Catherine Saint Mary
Surrey County	Kingston Portland Saint Andrew Saint Thomas
Historic Parishes	Metcalfe Port Royal Saint David Saint Dorothy Saint George Saint John Saint Thomas in the East Saint Thomas in the Vale Vere