Greenwood is the lesser-visited sibling of Rose Hall and arguably the more interesting building. The 18th-century house, set on a hilltop above the coast about 25 km east of Montego Bay, belonged to the Barrett family — yes, the same family as the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Unlike Rose Hall, Greenwood was never gutted or burned during the slave rebellions; the original furniture, china, glassware, and a library of rare books from the 1700s and 1800s are still in place.
The tour is unhurried and personal — the house is privately owned and operated. The most striking room is the library; the views from the long veranda are also magnificent. Pair Greenwood with Rose Hall for a long morning of plantation history; the contrast between the two — one polished and theatrical, the other lived-in and intact — is the point.