Pressed between steep volcanic cliffs and the waters of James Bay, Jamestown stretches inland along the narrow floor of James Valley on the northwestern coast of Saint Helena. Founded in 1659 by the English East India Company as a strategic stop for ships traveling between Europe and Asia, it remains the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha.

The town follows the valley’s course along a single main street. Solid Georgian buildings of dark volcanic stone line Main Street, many dating to the 18th century and giving the settlement an architectural continuity rarely preserved elsewhere. At the waterfront stands the Castle, long the seat of government, while nearby St James’ Church, completed in 1772, is the oldest Anglican church in the Southern Hemisphere.

Jamestown also holds a place in one of history’s most famous exiles. In 1815, following his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon Bonaparte arrived here before being transferred inland to Longwood House, where he spent his final years.

Above the harbor, Jacob’s Ladder climbs 699 steps to Ladder Hill Fort, offering wide views across the bay and the steep volcanic walls surrounding the town.

Contained within a single valley, Jamestown reflects centuries of maritime history and Atlantic isolation.