Set a modest target after their bowlers restricted the tourists to a disappointing 176 for nine off 50 overs, West Indies survived a clatter of wickets and several anxious moments to win with 21 balls to spare.
The hosts seemed to be cruising safely home at 153 for six in the 38th over thanks to an 87-run, seventh wicket stand between teenager Deandra Dottin (41) and Stacey-Ann King (40) but suddenly lost three wickets for nine runs in the space of 31 balls, to set up a thrilling end to the series decider.
England seemed to have grabbed the advantage when they got the key wicket of Dottin at 162 for nine in the 44th over but Anisa Mohammed (two, not out) and Shakera Selman ( not out five) got West Indies to their total, with help from some wayward bowling.
The victory came after West Indies had a nightmare start to their run chase when the usually prolific opener Pamela Lavine and number three batswoman Cordel Jack both fell without scoring to leave the hosts tottering at two for two in the third over.
Opener Stafanie Taylor then produced a valuable knock of 43 and shared in a third wicket stand of 49 with captain Merissa Aguilleira who scored 14, to bring sanity to the innings.
Taylor stroked seven fours off 76 balls while Aguilleira faced 32 balls for her knock before she became one of left-arm spinner Holly Colvin’s four wickets for 24 runs, trapped lbw in the 17th over.
West Indies then suffered another stunning collapse, losing their next three wickets for nine runs in the space of 22 balls, as Colvin wreaked havoc in the middle order to leave the hosts in disarray at 66 for six in the 23rd over.
However, Stacey-Ann King and Dottin staged their potential match-winning stand, with the left-handed King stroking four fours and a six off 51 balls and Dottin hitting two sixes and a four.
King’s dismissal triggered another slide but the Windies pulled themselves around for the second time, to record the historic win.
Earlier, the 50-over and Twenty20 World champions wasted an attractive half-century from Lydia Greenway to stumble to their eventual total, after winning the toss and batting.
The left-hander stroked 61 from 84 balls with eight fours and held the innings together after England found themselves struggling at 68 for four in the 26th over.
She posted 35 for the fifth wicket with Caroline Atkins who scored 13 and when England slipped to 132 for eight in the 42nd over, she raised another 41 runs from 50 balls for the ninth wicket with Tammy Beaumont who was unbeaten on 19.
Lavine was led the Windies attack with three for 29.
The series was tied 1-1 after West Indies won the first match on Wednesday by 40 runs and England captured the second on Thursday by 13 runs.
SCOREBOARD
ENGLAND
*C Edwards run out 30
E Brent b Lavine 14
J Gunn b Lavine 7
B Morgan lbw b Daley 4
L Greenway run out 61
C Atkins c Nation b Mohammed 13
H Colvin run out 0
K Brunt b Lavine 7
L Marsh lbw b Taylor 7
+T Beaumont not out 19
I Guha not out 2
Extras (lb6, w6) 12
TOTAL (9 wkts, 50 overs) 176
Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Brent, 8.4 overs), 2-46 (Gunn, 16.3), 3-51 (Morgan, 17.2), 4-68 (Edwards, 25.3), 5-103 (Atkins, 35.2), 6-105 (Colvin, 36.2), 7-124 (Brunt, 40.1), 8-132 (Marsh, 41.1), 9-173 (Greenway, 49.3)
Bowling: Selman 3-0-18-0, Taylor 10-2-32-1, Lavine 10-1-29-3, Daley 9-0-25-1, Nation 8-1-28-0, Mohammed 6-0-17-1, Dottin 3-0-14-0, Jack 1-0-7-0.
WEST INDIES
S Taylor b Edwards 43
P Lavine c Greenway b Guha 0
C Jack c wkp Beaumont b Brunt 0
*+M Aguilleira lbw b Colvin 14
S Daley c wkp Beaumont b Colvin 3
S King c Greenway b Colvin 40
C Nation c & b Colvin 0
D Dottin lbw b Morgan 41
S Campbelle lbw b Guha 1
A Mohammed not out 2
S Selman not out 5
Extras (lb3, w27) 30
TOTAL (9 wkts, 46.3 overs) 179
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Lavine, 1.2 overs), 2-2 (Jack, 3), 3-51 (Aguilleira, 16.2) 4-57 (Daley, 19), 5- 65 (Taylor, 21.4), 6-66 (Nation, 22.4), 7-153 (King, 38.1), 8-157 (Campbelle, 39.2), 9-162 (Dottin, 43.2).
Bowling: Brunt 10-2-30-1, Guha 10-0-39-2, Colvin 10-0-24-4, Marsh 2.3-0-33-0, Edwards 10-0-33-1, Gunn 1-0-9-0, Morgan 3-0-8-1.
Result: West Indies won by one wicket.
Series: West Indies won by 2-1.
Player-of-the-Match: Stacy-Ann King.
Umpires: Luther Kelly, Wycliffe Mitcham.
