Phillippo Baptist Church
Phillippo Baptist Church is in Spanish Town, Jamaica. It is a Baptist church founded in 1827 by Reverend James Phillippo, who arrived in Jamaica in 1823. He built the church to replace an earlier one that plantation owners burned down because they did not want slaves to hear religious instruction. Phillippo was a missionary who campaigned for the abolition of slavery and for “Free Villages” for emancipated slaves.
On the church grounds is a stone slab marking where some slave shackles are buried, placed to commemorate the church’s 150th anniversary.
The church was damaged by Hurricane Dean in 2007, tearing the roof off. Repairs cost about $25 million Jamaican dollars ($300,000 USD). It was closed for 20 months and reopened in June 2009. At the reopening, Olivia Grange, then the Culture Minister representing Prime Minister Bruce Golding, said the church is an important part of Jamaica’s history. James Phillippo was often denied permission to preach to slaves, but he persisted and started the church. The building is an important historic site and played a major role in the abolition of slavery.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:11 (CET).