In 1627, between February 17th and 20th, eighty (80) English Settlers landed at what is known as Holetown aboard a ship called the William and John . With them were ten (10) African Slaves, who were captured on the voyage. It is from this day that Barbados became a British Colony. Holetown was originally named Jamestown, after its benefactor, King James I of England. The Holetown Monument (found in the centre of Holetown). The Holetown Festival, which commemorates this event, was the brainchild of Alfred Pragnell, he along with Keith Simmons and the members of Trents Northern Youth Group made up the committee that planned the first festival in 1977, it originally took place on the weekend nearest to these landing dates. It has become so popular that it now takes place over an eight day period, running from Sunday to Sunday.