Jamestown, Saint Helena

Jamestown

Jamestown (population c. 800) is a harbour and the capital of Saint Helena. It was founded in 1659 by the East India Company. It is surrounded by steep cliffs. The town's most prominent feature is Jacob's Ladder with 699 steps, built in 1829 to connect Jamestown to the post on Ladder Hill, still used today. Population has been shrinking, in line with the shrinking island population as a whole but also as a result of the growth of St. Helena's 'suburb', Half Tree Hollow.