Barbados - Garrison Savannah Travel Guides | Barbados | Sub Regions | Barbados - Garrison Savannah

South of central Bridgetown is the historic Garrison area on the strategic southeast point guarding the entrance to Carlisle Bay and the capital. Surrounding the parade ground, now the six-furlong race course, are numerous 17th- to 19th-century military buildings constructed from brick brought as ballast on ships from England. They are built on traditional British colonial lines, examples of which can be seen throughout the Caribbean and in India. Painted bright colours, some now contain government offices. There are several memorials around the oval race course. In the southwest corner is one commemorating the ’awful’ hurricane which killed 14 men and one married woman and caused the destruction of the barracks and hospital on 18 August 1831, and outside the Barbados Museum in the northeast corner there’s another to the men of the Royal York Rangers who fell in action against the French in Martinique, Les Saintes and Guadeloupe in the 1809-10 campaign. The Savannah, now a race course, is used at other times for early morning or evening jogging, exercising the horses, informal rugby and basketball games and there’s usually something going on on Sunday afternoons. Later, at night, it’s taken over by prostitutes.

Sights

Needham Point. Turn south at the Pepsi plant.

Fort Charles was the largest of the many forts which guarded the south and west coasts. It is currently part of a building site because it forms part of the gardens of the Hilton Hotel which is being rebuilt. Only the ramparts remain but there are a number of 24 pounder cannons dating from 1824. The Mobil oil refinery was the site of the naval dockyard. Built in 1805, it was subsequently moved to English Harbour, Antigua. The buildings were then used as barracks before being destroyed in the 1831 hurricane. The military cemetery was the burial ground for the Garrison and the headstones make interesting reading. It appears, for instance, that disease claimed more lives than military action.

Garrison Secretary, T 4260982.

St Ann’s Fort is still used by the Barbados defence force. You cannot enter but look for the crenellated signal tower with its flag pole on top. It formed the high command of a chain of signal posts, the most complete of which is at Gun Hill. The long, thin building is the old drill hall. The Main Guard, overlooking the savannah, has a nice old clock tower and a fine wide veranda. It has been turned into an information centre and houses exhibits about the West Indian Regiment. It is also a good place from where to watch the horse racing. Outside is the National Cannon Collection, an impressive array of about 30 cannon, some of which are mounted on metal ’garrison’ gun carriages (replaced with wooden ones during action as they were prone to shatter). There are also a number of newer howitzers, dating from 1878.

T 4270201, http://www.barbmuse.org.bb Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1400-1800. US$5.75 adults, US$2.90 children. Library available for research purposes. Mon-Fri 0900-1300. US$10 for visitors, US$5 for locals, plus VAT.

The Barbados Museum is housed in the old military prison on the northeast corner of the savannah. Based on a collection left by Reverand NB Watson (late of St Lucy Parish), it is well set out through a series of 10 galleries. It displays natural history, local history, a fine map gallery including the earliest map of Barbados by Richard Ligon (1657), colonial furniture (Plantation House Rooms), military history (including a reconstruction of a prisoner’s cell), prints and paintings which depict social life in the West Indies, decorative and domestic arts (17th- to 19th-century glass, china and silver), Africa and its people in the Caribbean, a children’s gallery and one to house temporary exhibits. The museum shop has a good selection of craft items, books, prints and cards. The Museum Café under the trees in the museum courtyard is a delightful place for a drink or for lunch.

Bush Hill, T 2280149, 1000-1700. US$2.50 adults, US$1 children, Tue-Fri, Sat US$1 adults, children free.

The Barbados Gallery of Art, at the top of Bush Hill, across the savannah from the museum, has a collection of paintings and visual arts from Barbados and the Caribbean.

Bush Hill.

George Washington House, or Bush Hill House, is where the future first president of the USA stayed in 1751 for a few months when, as a 19-year old, he accompanied his sick brother Lawrence (who later died) to search for a cure for his brother’s TB. This was George Washington’s only excursion outside his homeland and Bridgetown was the largest town he had seen. At that time, Barbados was a more advanced society than that of America, with better health care. Washington was introduced to the delights of the theatre as well as banquets and fine dining, where he met the leading scientists, engineers and military strategists of the day. He contracted smallpox but the skill of an English doctor saved him. As a result of his brush with death, he acquired immunity to the virus which enabled him to survive an outbreak of the disease during the American War of Independence which killed many of his men.

Pavilion Court, Hastings Rd (Highway 7) T 4264640. Daily, US$5.

Bill Mallalieu has opened his collection of vintage cars to the public. The collection boasts a Bentley, Daimler, Humber, Vanden Plas Princess, Wolseley, Lanchester and many others. The old cars are often used in processions such as the Holetown Festival, escorting Miss Holetown and other personalities.

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