Main Guard House Clock Tower, Bridgetown

The Main Guard stands on the southern edge of Garrison Savannah, facing the large open racetrack and former parade ground. If you see a long, low Georgian building with a clock tower rising directly above the center of the façade-that is the Main Guard, built around 1802.

Once you reach the front of it, stop with the Main Guard behind you and the Savannah in front of you. The broad open space you are looking across was once the military parade ground of Saint Ann's Garrison. Today, it is better known for its horse-racing track.

Now, turn back toward the Main Guard. Look above the central entrance, beneath the clock tower, for the royal coat of arms of King George III, made from Coade stone. Together, the coat of arms and the clock tower are the easiest details to use when identifying the building.

From the Main Guard, look across the road on its southern side. Here is Saint Ann's Fort, another part of the historic military complex and today the headquarters of the Barbados Defence Force. Saint Ann's Garrison once served as the headquarters of the British West India Regiment, whose soldiers were stationed across Britain's Caribbean colonies until 1927. After the Regiment dissolved in 1906, the building was the home of the Savannah Club. Now it is owned by the government and is presently home to several official offices.

Next, walk around the open area immediately in front of and beside the Main Guard. Here, you'll see the site's remarkable collection of historic cannons. There are 26 of them in all, so they are difficult to miss. Rather than being confined inside a museum, the guns are displayed outdoors around the building. Look closely at the barrels for differences in size, shape, and surviving markings. The collection ranges in date from around 1620 to 1820 and includes several rare pieces.

You may also occasionally see military veterans around the Main Guard wearing historical-style full dress uniform reminiscent of the West India Regiment.