History of the Church

The first building of St. Leonard's Church was dedicated on 3rd February, 1854, in honour of "Leonard", patron saint of Confessors and hermits.

The Church began its life in 1854 as a chapel-of-ease of St. Michael's Cathedral staff, and obtained its independence in the Diocese as a Parish in 1854, under the care of The Reverend Hamble James Leacock.

St. Leonard 's achieved early prominence when its first Vicar, the Rev. Leacock, along with a descendant of slaves from St. Kitts, Mr. John H. A. Duporte, a Catechist trained at Codrington College, left Barbados as representatives of the West India Church Association to start a Christian Mission in Gambia and the Rio Pongas. This West African Mission is believed to be among the first on the West Coast of that Continent, and it has survived until the end of the 20th century. The active involvement of the sending Church in Barbados lasted until 1935, when the Diocese of Gambia and Guinea was created. Eventually the Diocese of Guinea was inaugurated in 1985.

The first St. Leonard's Church, a lovely gothic structure, was completely destroyed by a disastrous fire on 8th July, 1981. The present building was completed and dedicated on 24th August, 1985. The congregation, with the support of the Diocesan Trustees, took the decision to replace the old church with a more functional building to accommodate the variety of activities in which the church must give leadership in our times.

St. Leonard's is physically one of the largest church buildings on the Island, and is one of the most modern and accessible. It stands imposingly on seven acres of church-owned land, including the cemetery grounds.

Website: http://www.stleonard.org.bb/