Until, 1790 the only access from the South Front to the town and southern areas of the Rock was via the old medieval gatehouse known as the ‘Puertas de Africa’. As with all castle gatehouses, they were designed more for defensive purposes - to prevent the enemy form storming the gates – than for ease of access to those requiring entering or leaving the town. In case of siege, the gate would be exposed to the enemy, requiring the bridge to be destroyed denying them the opportunity to storm it. Such an action, would also adversely affect the defenders who would not be able to launch any surprise counter-offensives through lack of sally ports or other strategically located gates.

The construction of a second gate, concealed and protected behind the retired flank of the Flat Bastion made perfect military sense. The gate could not be directly targeted by artillery and covered by the guns on the South Bastion and orillon battery opposite the Flat Bastion. The gate was also protected by orillon on the Flat Bastion overlooking the gate.

The new gate, extending from the north-west corner of the Flat Bastion, was built in 1790 in honour of Prince Edward who had arrived that same year at Gibraltar as commander of the 7^th Regiment of Foot (Royal Fusiliers).

The concealed Prince Edward's Gate as seen from the Alameda (1830's).

Prince Edward's Gate from the Alameda 1846 - J. M . Carter.

There are two guardhouses next to the Prince Edward's Gate. A red plaque adjacent to the sentry box on the north side of Prince Edward's Gate suggests an inscription near this site read:

"God and the soldier all men adore in time of trouble and no more, for when war is over and all things righted God is neglected and the old soldier slighted."

This inscription was a popular 18^th Century epigram with the military and certainly would not have been exclusive just to this site. Captain Joseph Budworth who had been a Lieutenant with the 72^nd Manchester Volunteers and author of “The Siege of Gibraltar, a Poem” dated 1795, describes the same epigram “chalked upon a sentry-box on Europa Guard.”

Sentry Box (right).

Sentry Box (left).

Yet another version of the poem was posted at noonday in the streets of New York and signed by the soldiers of the 16^th Regiment of Foot on Friday 19 January 1770. This leaflet against the Sons of Liberty read:

God and a soldier all men doth adore, In time of war and not before: When the war is over, and all things right, God is forgotten, and the soldier slighted.

Whereas an uncommon and riottous [sic] disturbance prevails throughout this city, by some of its inhabitants, who stile themselves the S--s of L-----y, but rather may more properly be called real enemies to society.

Citizens and members of the 16th regiment of Foot brawl around New York City’s Liberty Pole after the soldiers attempted to blow up the pole on the evening of the 13th January, 1770.

God and a Soldier all Men Doth Adore, 1770. Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, New-York Historical Society, SY1770 no 25; negative no. 90527d.

Above Prince Edward’s Gate, a bridge connects the former St. Jago’s Barracks to the old Engineers canteen on the Flat Bastion.

The increase of vehicular traffic during the 20^th Century necessitated the removal of part of the base of Flat Bastion’s North-West corner incline wall.

In the 1960’s a second pedestrian passageway was opened to the right of the main gate.

 Prince Edward's gate showing the truncated section to allow easier vehicular access to the Upper Town. The pedestrian passageway had not yet been built (Ralph Crane, 1953).

Prince Edward Gate/Prince Edwards Gate from the north. The access bridge can be seen above.