Gibraltar was uninhabited during ancient times due in part to a lack of easily accessible water to support a permanent population but in the 11^th Century the Moors established a fortified stronghold there in response to military threats from the Christian kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. The Moors obtained water through roof catchment of rainfall, shallow wells in the Quaternary sands to the west of the Rock of Gibraltar, and storing local surface runoff in cisterns.

The Moors also took advantage of a number of emerging natural springs aligned along the North-South fault zone between the Gibraltar calcareous rocks and the siliceous Flysch Units. These natural springs provided enough fresh water for the cultivation of land along the western slopes of the Rock.

Gibraltar limestone formation showing fault zone.

In the 14th century, the Moors further tapped into these natural spring wells constructing an aqueduct that collected water from the Red Sands, an area south of the town and transported along underground earthen pipes some 1,350 metres (4,430 feet) to a bath house, now within the Gibraltar Museum. The brilliant engineer al-Hajj Ya'ish was appointed to oversee construction of these works using earthenware pipes going along and within the old Moorish line wall to carry this water into the town.

This aqueduct it was said, originated in the South Barracks area, where the natural spring well still exists, and travelled all the way down to the Water Gate, where the Moorish ships and galleys watered.

This water, purified by an immense body of sand before arriving at the aqueduct, was reputed to be extremely good. It was greatly valued for its medicinal qualities and many would come from other parts of Spain to drink it in later ages.

Aqueduct vent Rosia Road.

Alonso Hernández del Portillo writing in the early 17^th Century described how the area to the South of the Red Sands was mostly occupied by well cultivated orchards and gardens.

Acabando los arenales comienzan las huertas que son de árboles de frutas sabrosísimas y de muchas diferencias y muy alabadas de los forasteros y naturales... La Iglesia de San Juan de Verde… se dijo verde por que el día de su fiesta esta todo su campo verde. Dicen otros que por estar esta ermita entre las huertas…

The Moors had excavated a natural spring well just slopes just above the slopes of what is now Rosia Bay and most probably cultivated the area. During the Spanish period, a hermitage was built there and known as Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rocio from which Rosia Bay takes its name. It continued in use as a religious house until 1704 when most of the Spanish population left the Rock and the hermitage was abandoned.

However, the area continued to be cultivated soon after. The records of a Court of Enquiry set up in 1748, record that in 1708 a house [probably the old hermitage] and what was then a small garden was leased to a local resident - an immigrant from Genoa called Antonio Picardo who rented the land from the Governor, Lieutenant-General William Hargrave.

The original tenant of the land however, had been another Genoese gardener, Bartholomé Canova, who had been given permission to live in a ‘cottage and garden near the New Mole’ and from which he produced vegetables which he sold in town. When he died his widow married Antonio Picardo.

Robert Poole, writing in 1748 referred to a place which he called ‘the Vineyard’:

After this… we visited what is here called the Vineyard. It is a pretty large piece of garden, lying upon a descent, in the occupation of one who rents it, maintain himself and his family by the profit thereof…

Returning from on board the ship this forenoon, I again visited the garden called the Vineyard …

By the time Poole gave his account, the gardens had been passed on to Antonio’s son, George Picardo. Although known as the Vineyards, there is little evidence that grapes were grown here. Poole records a number of fruit of vegetables grown there:

Here are plenty of lemons, quinces, pomegranates etc., also garden greens, peas now in bloom and other still younger coming forward. By the side of the garden is a locust tree… It bears pretty large pods…said to be used only as food for asses, here called 'Borekers'. (Borricos). In various places…  plenty… of the aloe plant… Here are also prickly pears and several palm trees.

John Hardesty Vineyard, 1743.

1779 - area of the Vineyards clearly shown.

In 1771, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas described the area makes a first clear connection between the Vineyard and its chapel:

Between the hospital (Naval Hospital) and barracks (South Barracks) is a large enclosed piece of ground called the Vineyard; in it are many trees, and plenty of roots, herbs, salads, &c. in their proper season, and is by far the pleasantest spot on the rock: it was originally a religious house, called St. Rosia. (Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rocio)

On the side of the hill leading to the north pavilion, and near the line wall, are two small houses; which spot formerly had a chapel erected on it dedicated to St. John. (San Juan el Verde) The remains of a Moorish well stand close to the eastward house, from which earthen pipes went down the hill. aslope, through the line wall, at which place some of the Moors and Spanish galleys watered: part of the pipes are still to be seen.

This is the first recorded mention of the Moorish well and he indicates that the well was originally part of a medieval aqueduct that supplied fresh water to the ships watering in the small cove.

1828 - T.M. Baynes Town from Buena Vista Battery. The vineyards is clearly depicted just beyond the old Naval Hospital.

George Lothian Hall, South Barracks 1844. The Vineyards is shown in the foreground.

In 1799, following the recommendation of Admiral Jervis construction of a new Victualling Yard complex, including a number of water tanks to serve the British fleet began with the works completed in 1804 by contractor Giovanni Maria Boschetti. The new Rosia Tanks, however, did not collect water from the natural spring well but from rain water collected on the roof of the Victualling Yard which served as a catchment directing rain to a settlement tank, which was then purified by flowing it successively from one tank to the next and then stored in six parallel underground chambers.

1874 Gibraltar G Muller showing Vineyards.

During the 19^th Century Gibraltar’s population expansion meant that the city depended much more on food imports from nearby Span and Morocco than on home-grown food. All available land, including the orchards and gardens in and around the city gradually succumbed to urbanisation. The area previously known as the Vineyards was no different. In 1857, the first gas works were constructed on the site until eventually superseded by the first electricity generating station constructed within the King’s Bastion.

During most of the 20^th Century the outlying area of the old vineyards remained derelict until construction of the Vineyards Estate in the mid 1980’s. The upper section of the vineyards has, however, remained vacant thus preserving the old spring well to this day.

Gibraltar Gasworks early 20th Century postcard.