Habitation Bisdary

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

History

Five buildings remain constructed on an elongated terrace, laid out at the top of the hillside whose steep slopes are consolidated by retaining walls. In 1704, the Jesuits acquire the land and create a sugar works. During the English attack of 1759, the buildings are set on fire. Unable to meet the cost of repairs, the Jesuits sell the property. In 1783, a new fire destroys part of the buildings, then, the hurricane of 1816 and 1825. The western end of the terrace is occupied by a single-storey house with habitable roof space, no doubt the former main house. The house is surrounded by a gallery and comprises, on the ground floor, in addition to recent kitchen, two rooms separated by a partition wall. The front gallery communicates with an annexe wing occupying the north side of the terrace, construction of the 1970s. To the east, the courtyard is closed by a single-storey house, whose front façade is of wood, and which is bordered by a gallery. The masonry parts were no doubt built in the 19th century. Behind this house is found another of the 19th century. The vestiges of a sugar-refinery have been preserved below the terrace to the north, supplied by a domestic canal which captured water from the ravine. To the north of the hillside were the industrial buildings and the slave village.