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.

As a market centre for farmers, a dormitory town for two large alumina companies and a vibrant retirement community; for returning  residents (mainly Jamaicans who were living in the UK and USA), the town enjoys a relatively stable economic base, and offers the pleasures of rural life with the conveniences of a mini-city.

Mandeville is also supported by a strong infrastructure which includes: two (2) major hospitals (Mandeville Hospital and Hargreaves) as well as health clinics; numerous early childhood and primary schools; six (6) major high school including Manchester High, Bishop Gibson High, De Carteret College, Belair High and St. Josephs Academy and even two (2) tertiary institutions- Northern Caribbean University and Church Teachers’ Training College with outpost campuses for Knox Community College and The University of the West Indies.

Mandeville is also considered a commercial hub, boasting branches of most of the major financial institutions in Jamaica and twelve (12) shopping plazas, two of which are owned by Brumalia Hardware Limited. There is also a multi-screen cinema, discos, several first-class restaurants, a large public library, two (2) hotels, several guest houses and a golf club (the oldest in the Western Hemisphere).
In Mandeville’s benign climate both temperate and tropical plants flourish. Agapanthus lilies grow beside hibiscus and bougainvillea; vivid vandal orchids are shaded by peach and lychee trees, begonias and nasturtiums, not to mention the main citrus trees, especially the ortaniques with which Mandeville has become synonymous. The town has one of the oldest Horticultural Societies in the world and is famous for its annual flower show and splendid private gardens, some of which can be toured by appointment.

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