Defensive wall from Parsons Lodge to Buena Vista Barracks

Ref: HLFP3/101

This defensive wall connects two important elements of the Europa fortifications: the heavily armed Parson’s Lodge, built in the eighteenth century and the Buena Vista Barracks constructed in 1841.

The present wall is contemporary with the latter, although within its foundations parts of the original Moorish wall which stretched all the way to Europa Flats and later reinforced by Spanish engineers is still evident. Part of the wall is known as the ‘Machigoulis Gallery’ (sic) due to its regularly spaced embrasures giving it its recognisable appearance.

The Machigoulis Gallery overlooking the cliifs around Camp Bay. The firing loops were built on top of the former Moorish and Spanish defensive walls.

Defensive walls above Little Bay, leading to Buffadero. Numerous machine gun positions can be seen both on and in the cliffs itself.

The wall follows the outline of the cliff edge, and is approximately half a kilometre long. It features several interesting details. Firstly, Camp Bay could only be accessed via a wooden staircase, called the Camp Bay Ladder, supported by an encased limestone column. Access was via a fortified door next to the gun platform of 10^th Rosia Battery. The staircase was well defended from attack by flank fire from Parson’s Lodge on the right and the Machicoulis Gallery on the left.

A second similar limestone column built much later was not designed to support a staircase, but rather as a rock support due to heavy quarrying of the cliffs above.

The defensive walls and old wooden staircase leading to Camp Bay.

Defensive walls and old watchtower overlooking the two coves before it was destroyed due to quarrying of the cliff face.

A second similar limestone column built much later was not designed to support a staircase, but rather as a rock support due to heavy quarrying of the cliffs above.

The second interesting feature is the Machicoulis Gallery, which in reality is not as the name suggests, but rather a musketry loop-holed wall similar to the one overlooking Little Bay.

A third feature no longer exists; it consisted of a small watchtower overlooking Camp Bay destroyed during the quarrying of the rock face during the first years of the 20^Th Century.

Quarrying in the area of Camp Bay caused much scarping on the cliffs above which destroyed parts of the original defensive wall, particularly on the area of the Devil’s Bowling Green and the cliffs near to the old Naval Hospital.

Access to the wooden staircase from 10th Rosia Battery.

Jacob's Ladder on the Devil's Bowling Green. The Camp Bay staircase would have looked very similar to this.

Camp Bay Ladder, circa 1870's.

Firing loops of the wrongly named Machigoulis Gallery.

Significant scaling back of the cliifs along the Devil's Bowling Green destroyed much of the original defensive walls.

Parts of the defensive wall in which modern WWII pillboxes have been incorporated.

During WWII, numerous machine gun positions covered the access to both Camp Bay and Little Bay, which remained vulnerable to a potential enemy assault. These machine gun pillboxes were incorporated into the existing defensive walls or built into the actual cliff face itself. They were abandoned at the end of the war.