Arouca’s history brings together early church history, missionary work and the commemoration of the 1891 uprising. The dates tell the story of different milestones: from the founding of St. Aidan’s parish to missionary work at Olive Society Hall and the Arouca Revival Tabernacle.

St. Aidan: from cowshed to wooden building

St. Aidan’s parish in Arouca was founded in 1886 by Reverend Ramsden. Before a wooden building for St. Aidan was erected in 1890, services were initially held in an abandoned cowshed. The wooden building stood at the corner of Davis Street and Eastern Main Road on approximately three acres of land donated by the manager of the Orange Grove Estate.

The distinction between the two dates is important for understanding the chronology: 1886 marks the founding of the parish, while 1890 marks the construction of the wooden building. The sequence links an early place of worship with a church building erected later, without conflating the two milestones.

More religious history and places of remembrance

Another historical connection is the work of Canadian missionary Bro. Jameson. Between 1916 and 1920, he brought members of the Woodbrook Prentecostal Chapel to Arouca and began the work at Olive Society Hall in Arouca. The Arouca Revival Tabernacle (ART) was established later, in 1992. These dates mark different points in Arouca’s religious history.

A plaque at the site of the 1891 uprising in Arouca commemorates the event. Members of the Confederation of African Associations of Trinidad and Tobago installed it in 1984. At the corner of Waterloo Road and Ford Street, members of the Orisha movement gather at the site of the uprising every year to commemorate the event.

The plaque records a specific year in which it was installed; the gathering is an annual form of remembrance. If you plan to attend, check the date and accessibility in advance.

A historic destination north of Arouca

The Lopinot Historical Complex lies north of Arouca, on the southern slopes of the Northern Range. This brings a named historic destination outside the immediate area designated as Arouca into view. For your planning, you can distinguish between the stories associated with Arouca and a destination to the north.

Wider context: Tunapuna-Piarco

In the wider destination of Tunapuna-Piarco, Mount St. Benedict offers another story of religion. It is home to Benedictine monks who settled there in 1912. Three monks from the Benedictine Monastery of San Sebastien in Bahia, Brazil, came to the foothills of Trinidad’s Northern Range under the leadership of Abbot Dom Mayeul de Caigny.

Caura Valley is also part of this wider context. It is accessible via Caura Royal Road, which branches off Eastern Main Road. Pool Number 1 and Pool Number 2 at the abandoned pump house are described as popular spots for a “river lime.” Along the winding access road through Caura Valley, visitors can picnic or swim in the clear waters of the Caura River.

This presents different options: Arouca’s local church and remembrance history on the one hand, and the topics associated with Mount St. Benedict and Caura Valley in the wider destination of Tunapuna-Piarco on the other. Check current road and water conditions locally before driving to Caura Valley.

Discover more destinations: Piarco, Trincity, Tacarigua, Kelly Village, Saint Joseph, Saint Augustine

View the wider travel guide: Tunapuna-Piarco.