The African Settlement The True Engine of Seville
While the Great House tells the story of the few who owned the land, the African Village tells the story of the thousands who worked it. Archaeological excavations at Seville have uncovered one of the most significant enslaved settlements in the Caribbean, revealing how African people retained their culture and identity despite the brutality of the plantation system.
The Two Villages
History records two distinct phases of African settlement on the Seville property:
- The First Village (c. 1670–1750): Located closer to the coast and the original 17th-century house built by Captain Hemmings.
- The Second Village (c. 1750–1838): Located further inland, behind the current Great House. This shift occurred when Richard Hemming built the new mansion in 1745, likely moving the enslaved community out of direct sight line to improve his "view"—a common practice in 18th-century landscape design.
Archaeological Discoveries
Extensive excavations have been conducted at Seville (notably by Syracuse University), unearthing artifacts that challenge the traditional narrative of slavery. The findings show that the enslaved people were not just "labor units," but active creators of their own economy and culture.
Artifacts found include "Yabbas" (locally made Afro-Jamaican clay pots used for cooking), tools for tending their own provision grounds, and items of personal adornment like beads and pierced coins. These objects prove the existence of a thriving internal market system where enslaved people grew, crafted, and traded goods among themselves.
One of the most profound discoveries at Seville was the location of house-yard burials. Contrary to European Christian custom (cemeteries), the enslaved people at Seville frequently buried their dead within their own house yards.
In 1997, the remains of four individuals found during excavations were re-interred in a formal ceremony at the park. This event, the Emancipation Jubilee, is now held annually at Seville to honor the ancestors who lived and died on this soil.
Life in the Village
The housing at Seville evolved over time. Early structures were likely barrack-style, but over the 18th century, they shifted to distinct wattle-and-daub cottages with thatched roofs.
These houses were surrounded by small gardens (house yards) where families grew vegetables, raised chickens, and cooked outdoors. This "yard" space was the center of social life—a place of resistance where African languages, stories, and religious practices (such as Myal and Obeah) were preserved away from the eyes of the overseer.