St. Ann's Fort Drill Hall, Bridgetown

Drill Hall is the largest and most prominent structure associated with Saint Ann’s Fort. Built on the fortifications in 1790, it originally served as soldiers’ barracks and was later used as a commissariat. Today, it serves as the Officers’ Mess of the Barbados Defence Force, so it remains part of an active military complex.

From here, continue along Garrison Road toward the coast, keeping the military complex beside you. The fortified compound you see is Saint Ann’s Fort, begun in 1705 as part of the defensive network protecting Barbados. By the late 18th century, around 40 forts and coastal batteries were positioned around the island. Saint Ann’s is especially notable for retaining its historic observation tower.

As you reach the fort, look along its outer walls for the Barbados National Armoury, located within the Saint Ann’s complex. It houses an important collection of historic cannons and other weapons connected with Barbados’s military past. You’ll also notice old cannons displayed at several other points around the wider Garrison area.

To reach the coast, continue past the fort toward the sea. Once you come around to the southern, seaward side of the military complex, you’ll find Drill Hall Beach directly behind Saint Ann’s Fort. The transition is quite sudden: the historic military buildings give way to a narrow stretch of sand and the open Caribbean Sea.

From the beach, turn around and look back inland. You can now clearly see how close the fort stands to the shoreline. This coastal position allowed the garrison to watch the approaches to Bridgetown and formed part of the island’s wider defensive system.

Drill Hall Beach itself is popular with surfers, and when the winds strengthen, you may also see windsurfers out on the water. It makes an interesting stop, with the sea on one side and the historic Garrison immediately behind you.