Having won the toss and elected to bat England had slumped to 3-27 as the West Indies pace attack picked up in Antigua where Australia's had left off in Tasmania.
Two veterans, Jonny Bairstow (35 not) and Ben Stokes (36), then combined in the afternoon to lift England to a moderately respectable 5-145 at tea, having been 4-57 at lunch.
England gave a debut to Durham opener Alex Lees (4) but he was soon leg before, a review indicating the ball had hit the bad fractionally before the bat.
Zak Crawley (8) was brilliantly caught behind by Joshua da Silva off an inside edge. Joe Root (13) was bowled playing no stroke after moving up to No.3 in attempt to bolster England's upper-order batting.
The recalled Dan Lawrence made 20, but was was caught by Jermaine Blackwood, the third slip having earlier shelled two sharp chances. Stokes and Bairstow then dropped anchor in a successful attempt to reach lunch without further loss.
The pair extended their partnership to 67 before Stokes, having hit Jayden Seales for successive boundaries, inside-edged a full delivery from the young pacer in the same over.
Ben Foakes (21 not) then joined Bairstow to carry England to tea without further loss.
Kemar Roach had taken 2-51 and Seales 2-40, while Jason Holder had 1-10 off 11 overs.
Besides introducing Lees and recalling Bairstow, Lawrence and Foakes, England also brought back bowlers Craig Overton and Jack Leach.
West Indies picked spinner Veerasammy Permaul for his first home Test in seven years, alongside a four-man seam attack, and recalled opener John Campbell.
Both sides wore black armbands in honour of Shane Warne, Rod Marsh and Sonny Ramadhin.
The teams are playing for the new Richards-Botham trophy, named after Sir Ian Botham and Sir Vivian Richards, who were both present at the ground named after the latter.
England have won one series in the Caribbean in 50 years and never won a Test in Antigua. This Test will be followed by Barbados (March 16-20) and Grenada (March 24-28).
