Jamaica has a long urban past, dating back to at least the initial Spanish settlement. This course investigates how assumptions about towns developed in Jamaica; what roles towns fulfilled; how these roles changed over time and what townspeople thought about themselves. These notions will be examined alongside the modern roles and ideas surrounding current key towns including Spanish Town, Falmouth and Kingston. Investigating the development of the island's urban network illuminates the island's changing societies, economy and cultures along with continuities which give credence to their heritage.