Wingfield Estate and Old Road Rum Distillery

Stop on Discover St Kitts Island, a free self-guided tour.

Discover where Caribbean rum-making began at Wingfield Estate, a historic 17th-century sugar plantation where rum production started in 1681. This archaeological site preserves the ruins of one of the oldest sugar estates in the Caribbean, with remnants of the original sugar mill, boiling houses, and distillery buildings constructed from volcanic stone and coral. The estate is now home to Old Road Rum, an artisanal distillery producing premium aged rum using traditional methods. Visitors can take guided tours through the atmospheric ruins while learning about sugar and rum production history, then enjoy tastings of Old Road's 12-year aged rum in a beautiful outdoor setting. The tour guides share fascinating stories about colonial plantation life, the sugar economy that dominated Caribbean history, and the technical process of converting sugarcane into rum. The estate grounds also feature ancient Amerindian petroglyphs carved into massive boulders, some of the oldest archaeological artifacts in St. Kitts, dating back to the island's indigenous Carib inhabitants. Adjacent to the rum distillery, you'll find the Caribelle Batik workshop at Romney Manor. The combination of ancient petroglyphs, colonial ruins, modern rum-making, and tropical botanical gardens makes Wingfield Estate a rich cultural and historical experience that spans thousands of years of island history.