Marshall's Pen
Marshall's Pen is a private nature reserve and residence, protected national heritage site and a cattle farm.
History
Marshall's Pen great house
Marshall's Pen Great House was built in the early nineteenth century, by the Earl of Balcarres and Crawford. It is a designated National Heritage site, officially recognized by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust http://jnht.org.jm. because of the great house, the remnants of the old slave village and other structures on the property.
The slave village is being excavated by Dr James Delle of Shippensberg University and is the subject of several scholastic papers. Find out more on Facebook - check out https://www.facebook.com/MarshallsPenArchaeologyProject/
Members of the public may visit the house by appointment only (groups of 6-10 persons).
orangequit
jamaican lizard cuckoo
Birding, botany and natural history
jamaican owl downy chick and adult, marshall's Pen, march 2017
jamaican spindalis
Marshall's Pen is one of the premiere birding destinations in Jamaica. More than 100 species of birds have been observed on the 310 acre property including 23 of the 29 Jamaican endemic species. Check this link to eBird to see what has been reported recently.
Visits and birding tours may be arranged by appointment only. It is a private house, but accommodation may be available by prior arrangement.
MANDEVILLE IS A perfect CENTRAL LOCATION FROM WHICH TO VISIT MANY BIRDING SITES IN SOUTH CENTRAL JAMAICA
Located in the middle of the island, about 3 miles from the centre of Mandeville, Marshall's Pen is an excellent base from which to explore south central Jamaica, including the Cockpit Country, Portland Bight Protected Area (including Portland Cottage and the Portland Bight Discovery Centre) and Black River Upper and Lower Morasses. Many visiting scientists use it as a base. It is also a great place for a retreat or for artists or writers.
Nature Reserve and cattle farm
endemic trimesia - one of many endemic plants at marshall's Pen
Endemic royal palms AT MARSHALL'S PEN
Marshall's Pen was a coffee property in the early C19th but today it is a working farm, with a pure-bred herd of Jamaican Red Poll cattle and maintaining them is part of the biodiversity conservation programme. The landscape consists of rolling pastures defined by traditional dry stone walls and interspersed with wooded hills. The old-growth forests support many endemic species of plants, birds, reptiles and invertebrates, some of them rare,
jamaican RED POLL CATTLE GRAZING AT MARSHALL'S PEN
red-billed streamertail
“ I want to thank you for your gracious hospitality and sharing your beautiful home with us. It was truly a privilege to be there. Your Birds of Jamaica field guide is a fantastic resource and I learned so much from it. I liked that you included the local, common names of the birds. ..... And the food - some the best I have had. Thank you to you and your staff for a memorable experience.”
marshall's pen, main house and wing, march 2017
marshall's pen property road, FEBRUARY 2017
endemic euphorbia punicea in marshall's Pen garden, march 2017
Endemic brunfeldsia flowers in Marshall's pen garden, march 2017