Perched on the Manchester plateau 2,000 feet above sea-level, Mandeville is unlike other rural Jamaican towns. It is cool, clean and has no slums. Thanks to energetic promotion by the Central and South Coast Resort Commission, the town of Mandeville is a magnet for discerning visitors and an excellent base for exploring the central and south coast regions of Jamaica. The parish of Manchester was created in 1814 by then governor, the Duke of Manchester. The parish capital, Mandeville, founded in 1814 was named after his eldest son, Viscount Mandeville, and was one of four hill stations for the British army. Once a haven for English gentlefolk who considered it the closest place to home, Mandeville could be described back then as a prim and static town until the advent of the bauxite industry in the 1950's. Overnight, Mandeville began to flourish and grow into a booming town and has continued on that growth path ever since.
