Visiting MonkeyPaw

MonkeyPaw is located in the higher reaches of Hamilton Estate some 750 feet above the Caribbean Sea up the slopes of Mount Nevis. The cooling trade winds are almost constant in this area, The area is cool and lush. The one acre property boasts a huge Banyan tree, nine Mango trees, a golden apple tree, numerous Sour Sops, and two lime trees, a pair of cinnamon trees and enough Papaya trees to provide a constant supply of fruit. As you approach on the road, having left the nearest human neighbor some distance behind, you barely glimpse the house from the road.

Once through the gate, you approach the house from below between five foot high dry laid stone walls which line the drive. Each of the bordering walls encloses its own garden. the one to the left featuring roses, the other with a variety of tropical plants. The downstairs of the house is stucco, the upstairs is wood siding. Deeply arched columns frame four massive Purpleheart doors downstairs. The arches are mirrored upstairs by Purpleheart quarter rounds fastened to the wooden columns. Upstairs there are four more seven foot six inch doors of the same beautiful South American wood.

The entry arch sits at the top of the curved staircase with its wrought iron rails. Though not visible in this photograph, the curved rails carry the thematic sunburst motif that appears in the picture in the purple heart rails of the second story. The arch is encased in a flowering vine with large purple blooms.

Along the length of the downstairs veranda there are four, seven-foot six inch bi-fold doors of South American Purple Heart wood.

The main entry offers a spectacular view through a set of Crabwood stairs to the gardens in the rear of the house.