England were 341 for seven at lunch on the third day, having lost four wickets in the morning session.
However, they were now 98 runs ahead after resuming on 259 for three.
Ian Bell was 38 not out and Stuart Broad, who'd taken a Test-best seven for 72 in West Indies' first innings 243, 10 not out.
England captain Andrew Strauss added just one to his overnight 121 not out, having ended his 18-month wait for a Test century on Friday, with the opener one of two wickets in the session for fast bowler Kemar Roach.
At lunch Roach had taken three for 87, with Test debutant Shannon Gabriel and West Indies captain Darren Sammy also in the wickets Saturday.
Although the West Indies had endured a tough day Friday, they were only two deliveries into the new ball.
And they had an early breakthrough when left-hander Strauss inside-edged a rising Roach ball through to wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin.
South African umpire Marais Erasmus originally ruled in Strauss's favour, but Sammy got the decision overturned on review to end an innings of more than six-and-a-half hours.
England debutant Jonathan Bairstow then took his first ball in Test cricket, a lifting delivery from Roach, on the chest.
Both Roach and Fidel Edwards, who'd struggled to get the ball to swing Friday, were now troubling England's batsmen with a succession of late moving deliveries and well-directed short balls.
And Roach dismissed Bairstow, the son of the late Yorkshire and England wicket-keeper David, when he missed a sharp inswinger and was lbw for 16.
Bell had found runs hard to come by after easing his first ball Saturday, from Roach, through cover-point for four.
But new batsman Matt Prior, who made a century against the West Indies on his Test debut, at Lord's in 2007, was quickly into his stride with an on-driven four off Sammy.
However, Prior became Gabriel's first Test wicket when the seamer bowled him for 19 as the batsman aimed across the line.
And 320 for six became 323 for seven when medium-pacer Sammy nipped one off the seam in the increasingly overcast conditions to have Tim Bresnan caught behind for nought.
