Gun Hill by Moonlight

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="465"] Gun Hill[/caption]

Gun Hill by Moonlight, known colloquially as 'The Howling',  is a cocktail party given by the Barbados National Trust on the site of the Gun Hill Signal Station, Gun Hill, St. George.

On a clear evening, there is a spectacular view of the south and parts of the west coasts. One can see both the sun set and the moon rise, while indulging in drinks and hors d'oeuvre.  There is a bugler and a ceremonial lowering of the flag at sunset.  Finger food, snacks, wine and drinks are included in the admission fee.  The event takes place on Fridays closest to full moon during January to June each year.
The Gun Hill Signal Station is strategically perched on a hilltop in the parish of St. George and is one of the six (6) signal stations erected across Barbados after the 1816 Slave Rebellion. This 19th century signal station offers the best views of the entire island of Barbados and showcases a beautiful collection of military memorabilia. When it was known as Briggs Hill, it was named as one of the four points where guns were to be placed to give alarm in the event of an invasion.  This particular signal station was a bit more complex than the others as a number of men were stationed there which necessitated the construction of soldiers barracks, quarters for the officers, kitchens and other structures.  In 1981 the Barbados National Trust leased the station from the Government of Barbados and restored it with the help of a grant from government.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="480"] The Lion at Gun Hill[/caption]

The Lion at Gun Hill

Sculpted in 1868 by Captain Henry Wilkinson with the assistance of four military labourers this landmark is a show of strength and dominance.   Under the lion is an inscription with the sculptor's name and a verse from the Vulgate Latin translation of the Bible. meaning 'He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river, unto the ends of the earth'.  At a time with the ever present British dominance throughout the colonial world and of course Barbados, those words evoked a sense of strength and security for the island of Barbados.