The Garrison Historic Area From 1655 large fleets of British ships and soldiers were visiting and Barbados making it there base of operation. In the early years there were no barracks for them or provisions, the care and expense of the officers fell in the hands of Barbadians themselves. After repeated visits this became quite burdensome especially considering it was at a time when the island was quite impoverished. The legislature of Barbados was moved to petition the British government for a permanent garrison to be built on the island. It was not until 1780 that it was finally decided by the British Government to station a permanent garrison on the island. It was eventually decided that the Garrisons should be built near Charles Fort and St Anne’s Castle. 16 acres were purchased in 1789 and construction began by the early 19th century most of the buildings had been completed and had grown to cover 64 acres. The Garrison in Barbados is in fact the largest in the Caribbean. Many of the buildings were constructed of London brick brought out as ballast in ships which returned with sugar. Some 60 of the original buildings are still in existence today. The Savannah of itself was a very rocky area where many crabs lived. It had to be filled in and levelled for the troops to practice on. It was also the birthplace of cricket in Barbados and today serves as the islands racetrack. On November 30th 1966 Barbados was led into Independence by the then Premier Errol Walton Barrow, officially celebrating the achievement of nationhood as a sovereign and independent state within the Commonwealth