Preserving Mustique’s past: The sugar mill ruins
The ruins of a round, animal-powered sugar mill can be found on the southern part of Mustique.
The island of Mustique, known for its beauty and vibrant community, holds a deeper history among its natural wonders.
In the southern part of the island are the ruins of an animal-powered sugar mill, a relic of the island’s sugar-producing past. These ruins, now crumbling, were a passion project for Dianne Wilson, former resident and environmental steward of Mustique.
Dianne’s connection to the island runs deep. A scuba instructor and co-author of A Natural History of Mustique: A Field Guide to the Common Flora, Fauna, and Marine Species, she dedicated decades to the island’s environment and its community. Starting in 2010, Dianne took on the restoration of the sugar mill ruins, aiming to preserve a piece of
Mustique’s history.
“It’s a round mill, which is kind of unique,” she explains. Unlike most sugar mills in the region, which were powered by water, this mill used animals to crush sugarcane. “The animals used to walk around the top, and as they made their circles, it ground the cane into juice that would dry into sugar.”
The sugar mill was part of Mustique’s economy during the ‘Sugar Period,’ which ended around 1838 due to both environmental challenges and shifts in the global sugar market. Not only did erosion make it more and more difficult to maintain crops, Dianne explains, but “the sugar beet was discovered, and that knocked a hole in the market in the Caribbean.”
“Most left, and left behind the buildings,” she says.
An 1800s map of Mustique, before the collapse of the Sugar Period.
Despite her best efforts, Dianne faced challenges in fully restoring the mill. “The site continues to crumble and stones are often harvested for projects around the island,” she says.
Today, the ruins remain, though often unnoticed by visitors. “I don’t think they take it in. There aren’t any signs,” Dianne reflects. Without markers or information about the historical significance of these ruins, people walk by without understanding the important story they represent.
Dianne’s work to preserve Mustique’s history is a testament to her dedication to the island and its environment. The sugar mill ruins, while weathered, are a symbol of the island’s past—a past Dianne has fought to keep alive, even as time and nature take their toll.
Mustique and the supporters who frequent the island are integral parts of Hunter’s Fund and its ability to talk about meaningful projects like this one. This article is an excerpt from the upcoming Mustique Newsletter, which will feature more stories celebrating the island and its vibrant legacy.