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The Grenade Hall Signal Station (daily 10am-5pm; B$23,
including access to Barbados Wildlife Reserve), was one of the chain
of communication stations built in the years immediately after
Barbados faced its first and only major slave revolt in 1816. The
stations, which communicated by semaphore flags and lanterns, were
designed to get news of any trouble afoot rapidly to the garrison in
Bridgetown.
Grenade Hall is not as attractively located as Gun Hill, though the
watchtower offers great views of the surrounding countryside, and
the place is certainly worth a quick tour if you're in the area.
Prints of the British military hang downstairs, alongside various
bits and pieces belonging to the signalmen - medallions, clay pipes,
coins and pottery shards. Upstairs, the old semaphore signals are on
display - though most of them post-date the era of possible slave
revolts, and relate to shipping movements.
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Below Grenade Hall, a large tract of native forest (same
hours and ticket) has been preserved, and several kilometers of
pathways loop down through the woods and under whitewood, dogwood,
mahogany and magnificent silk cotton trees. Walking down from the
signal station you can feel yourself entering a different ecosystem
- shaded, damp, humid and sticky.
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Caribbean guide
Barbados Travel Guide
Barbados
Where to go
When to go
Getting there
Money and costs
Getting around
Food and drink
Phones, post
Brief history
Best of Barbados
Information, maps
Festivals, holidays
Sports, outdoor activities
Tours
Explore Barbados
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Bridgetown
Eating, nightlife
Listings
Central Bridgetown
National Heroes Square
Old City
Central
Barbados
Explore Central Barbados
Flower Forest
Francia
Gun Hill
Harrison's Cave
Welchman Hall
Gully
East Coast
Explore East Coast
Andromeda Botanical Gardens
Bathsheba
Codrington College
St. John's Parish
Garrison
Hackletons Cliff & Scotland
Barbados Museum and
Gallery of Art
Savannah, Garrison area |
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