Southport Gates, including 10in. RML 18 ton gun, and Coats of Arms

Ref: HLFP3/204

The Southport Gates connects incoming traffic from Trafalgar Road into the southern end of Main Street, formerly known as Southport Road. These two gates are not the original ‘Africa Gate’ that stood on this site but are of a much later construction. Of the former Africa Gate only the crest of Emperor Charles V, two wreathed pillars and two heraldic shields bearing the coat of arms of Gibraltar and that of Don Pedro Vélez de Guevara y Manrique remain. These symbols were removed before the old gatehouse was demolished and placed on the first of two gates built by the British in the 19^th Century.

The South Front fortifications stretching from the sea wall at South Bastion to the fort at El Hacho on the Rock summit was originally based on designs submitted by Benedetto Scaramuzza of Ravenna, an Italian engineer considered to have been at the forefront of modern military architecture in the Mediterranean during the 16^th Century.

During this new era in the art of fortifications, Benedetto rendered service to the Order of St. John in the island of Rhodes and Malta before offering his services to Emperor Charles V in 1524, although he had already enjoyed the patronage of Fernando of Aragon as early as 1512. He thus “represents the largest Italian influence on Spanish fortification in the first half of the 16^th century.¹

Amongst his innovations, Benedetto proposed an evolution to reinforce the defences mainly by the introduction of bastions in the form of pentagons that were to become the first modern bulwarked fortifications made in the Iberian Peninsula.²

1597 - Map and Fortifications of Gibraltar (unknown).

In 1534, royal engineers, particularly Benedetto, proposed the construction of new defences in respect to Gibraltar and Cadiz but no action was taken. Benedetto was present in Gibraltar in 1538 where he began work to repair the Torre del Tuerto overlooking the New Mole but the defences in respect to the approaches to the suburbs from the South remained neglected despite his warnings.

In 1540, however, after the assault and looting of Gibraltar by the pirates under the command of Hayreddin Barbarossa, the Spanish court were finally forced to begin the work of reinforcing the defences of the main commercial centres of the south.

Construction consisted of a curtain wall extending from an old Moorish tower known as La Torre de la Zebrera, extending to up to the base of the inaccessible cliff near Green Lane protected by the semi-bastion or casemates of Santa Cruz. These works and construction of a South Bastion was carried out by a Milanese engineer, Giovanni Battista Calvi who arrived in Gibraltar in 1557. South Bastion would later be enlarged and extended to cover the site of the former Zebrera Tower and the medieval sea-gate known as the gate of Algeciras over which an emblem of a ragged staff stood, hence the name given to the modern gates today.

A sketch by Anton Van Wyngaerde dating to 1567 shows the Zebrera tower, a smaller South Bastion covering the Africa gatehouse and the curtain wall culminating in the demi-bastion of Santa Cruz.

Anton van Wyngaerde sketch of the South Front (1567).

The local, Spanish historian, Alonso Hernández del Portillo, writing in 1610-22, described the works as follows:

‘He (Calvi) built a wall to protect the south side of the City (for as I have already mentioned it was not walled on the southern side) which stretched from east to west, from the sea to a casemate he built at the foot of an inaccessible cliff…..and this wall would command the sand banks close to the City, and from there the garrison would be able to threaten any enemies who tried to approach the first wall which protected the City itself and the gate known as ‘New’ so that the enemy would not be able to find protection from our men on the third wall above.’

To protect the Africa Gate, Calvi dug up a ditch from the sea to the base of the slope (now the western flank of the Flat Bastion. A wooden bridge traversed the ditch, which was further protected by the orillon within the South Bastion on the right flank and that of the Flat Bastion on the left. The Flat Bastion was a later addition, built after 1575.

1608 - Puerta de la Ciudad by Rojas Rosario Santiago.

Thomas James first suggested that the design of all these works were carried out according to the instructions of the German military engineer Daniel Specklin, a claim supported by other historians since then. James offers no sources to back his claim and there is no evidence Specklin visited Spain, let alone Gibraltar. However, Specklin’s sketches includes a bastion and supporting flat bastion almost identical to the South Bastion and Flat Bastion in Gibraltar, and in his book’s introduction Specklin claimed that he designed the defences for Gibraltar – the only place referred by name in his book. A sketch in Specklin’s book published in 1589 appears to show a fortification system of similar design to South Bastion and Flat Bastion.

Specklin’s sketches do not include a gatehouse with its customary medieval bent entrance reducing an enemy’s ability to rush in through the gates. Another sketch by Captain Cristobal de Rojas in 1608 again omits this feature but this was done most probably in order to illustrate the curtain wall and exterior accretions to which he was responsible in its construction and not the already built interior defences.

The most clear example of the gatehouse is a plan referred to as the ‘Planta del baluarte del Rosario de la Ciudad de Gibraltar 1621’ drawn by the engineer Andrés Castoria. In addition to the works of the South Bastion, the plan also includes the layout of the barbican or gatehouse, which may have been included in the scope of the works carried out.

1621 - Plan del Baluarte del Rosario. The Africa Gate and gatehouse can be seen labelled as L, the sketch includes the location of the spiral staircase and interior gates.

Access to the gatehouse from the South was via a bridge and drawbridge over a wide ditch. Once past the main gates and portcullis, a courtyard measuring 20x25 Castilian Feet (5.57mx6.96m) controlled all access into the city via a second west gate situated to the left. On the north wall, three embrasures covered the main gate, whilst another embrasure covered the west gate. A machicolation would have been positioned above the main gate, and the remnants of another still appears visible on the east wall. Access to the embrasures and matriculations was via a covered spiral staircase behand the north wall. The entry point to this staircase is still visible today.

To gain access to the actual city, a second sharp turn via a very narrow 10 Castilian Feet wide by 40 Castilian Feet wide (2.25mx10m) covered passageway, which would also have probably been protected by a third door and/or portcullis. This section would have included murder holes by the defenders above.

Tell-tale sign of a probable gun position on the eastern wall, covering the western gate.

Don Luis Bravo de Acuña’s 1627 plan shows the gatehouse defences, particularly the spiral staircase and matriculation on the east wall and the position of the second and third gates. It was this second gate that contained all the symbols and shields that are now on display on the main entrance.

The formidable defences within the gatehouse were never tested in battle. When Captain Jumper and his marines landed to the south, they did not approach the South Front and the Governor, Don Diego Esteban Gómez de Salinas understanding the futility and gravity of the situation surrendered the city before the city walls could be assaulted.

Bravo de Acuña map showing South Bastion and South Port gates, including the gatehouse defences (1627).

Thomas James writing in 1755 described the gatehouse as being:

'in the curtain, after the ancient manner , with loop-holes for wall pieces to defend, between the outward and the inward gate, over which are the coat of arms of the empire, and those of Spain, with two wreathed pillars, and the inscription PLVS ULTRA.'

Within the inward gate, facing west, was the Royal Arms of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, flanked by two wreathed pillars representing the Pillars of Hercules bearing the inscription PLUS ULTRA [Further Beyond]. Prior to 1492 and the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, the Pillars would have borne the legend ‘NON PLUS ULTRA’ [‘NOTHING FURTHER BEYOND’].

Below these symbols can be found the coat of arms of Gibraltar as designed by Queen Isabella when the city became the property of the Crown of Castile in 1501 and those of Don Pedro Vélez de Guevara y Manrique, surmounted by a helmet with flowing feathers. During construction of the wall, Don Pedro had been a Gentleman of King Carlos I privy chamber and captain of men-at-arms of the guards of Castile and therefore responsible for the defence of the kingdom of Castile and all its territories – including Gibraltar. Therefore, whilst there is no evidence that Don Pedro Vélez de Guevara y Manrique was ever in Gibraltar, he would have been responsible for the Castilian garrison protecting the city as well as the supervision of the engineers sent to reinforce city’s existing and new defences – including Charles V wall.

The second shield consisting of the coat of arms of Gibraltar is surrounded by the legend ‘LA MUY NOBLE Y MAS LEAL CIUDAD DE GIBRALTAR…’ [THE MOST NOBLE AND MOST LOYAL CITY OF GIBRALTAR...]. The rest of the inscription is too eroded to read. It has been suggested it probably contained the additional words ‘…LLAVE DE ESPAÑA’ [KEY TO SPAIN].

The engraved heraldic shield of Don Pedro Vélez de Guevara y Manrique, surmounted by a helmet with flowing feathers.

The coat of arms of Gibraltar symbol engraved above the gate. The wording of the left hand side of the shield was probably damgaed during its transfer from the inner gate.

The heraldic shield of Don Pedro Vélez de Guevara y Manrique.

The coat of arms bearing the Castle and Key of Gibraltar.

Throughout the 18^th Century, the British appears to have done nothing much in respect to the gatehouse enclosure itself. In a plan of the isthmus, city and fortifications of Gibraltar James Gabriel Montresor 1751 the Southport gate is shown as a small, rectangular door flanked by two pillars crowned by two cannon balls. In comparison to the Landport Gate, the Southport entrance was inferior in every respect. The height of the ditch in relation to the main gate is also shown, as is the Front of the South Port Gate.

Montresor’s also includes a second sketch of the west face of the gatehouse clearly. This plan shows the location of the Spanish heraldic symbols within the interior west wall as well as the addition of an adjacent building along the North wall. In a separate plan, this building is listed as a cooperage and later maps designate it as a store.

Front of South Bastion drawn by Gabriel Montresor, 1751.

South Bastion and South Port gate as drawn by Gabriel Montresor, 1751.

Plan of the isthmus, city and fortifications &ca of Gibraltar, James Gabriel Montresor, 1751.

On the east wall, the British appear to have filled up much of the old Spanish St. Jago’s cemetery creating a new gun platform to cover the bridge access. Whilst to the west of the gatehouse, a mound of soil now acted as a bulwark supporting the entire stretch of curtain wall, which included no parapet, all the way to South Bastion.

In front of curtain, from the gatehouse to the corner of the ordnance store (Ince’s hall), stood the Southport Guardhouse. During the Great Siege, James tells us that Southport was manned by one subaltern, one sergeant, two corporals, a drummer and twenty privates.

A small sentry box to protect a guard from wind and rain can still be found embedded into the east wall.

Embedded sentry box, Southport Gates.

In 1778, Colonel Green presented his Plan of the Fortifications of the Town of Gibraltar, a hugely ambitious project to effectively strengthen and secure the entire sea line from North Bastion to South Bastion. The plan also proposed to improve and defend the approach to the South Front, including improvements and strengthening of the Charles V Wall. Green divided his plan for the South Front into three distinct projects:

Project No. 1 intended to put the established Old Works into a finished state of their defence, and to form an exclusive obstruction to any approach or assault to the present insufficient and imperfect body of the place.

Project No. 2 proposed a design for a counterguard before the South face of the South Bastion.

Project No. 3 included a ravelin and counterguard, including the entire proposed extended Project for the South Front.

Under Green’s proposals, the entire length of Charles V wall would have been strengthened with casemated accommodation between South Port and Flat Bastion and again from Flat Bastion to the demi-bastion at the foot of the inaccessible cliff. The advanced works would be strengthened by significantly reinforcing the Flat Bastions, supported by the construction of redans, protected by a glacis in line with the red sands.

Despite the extensive works proposed for the entire Charles V Wall, the gatehouse was not included in the proposals, suggesting Green was quite happy with the state of defence of the gate.

Most of Green’s project would never see the light of day. A year later, Spain laid siege to Gibraltar for a period that was to last just over three and a half years. The Great Siege of Gibraltar, as it was to become known, was the longest siege ever endured by the British army. By the end of the siege, most if not every single property had been either destroyed or damaged by bombardment – but the walled defences and bastions defending the Rock endured. Had the Franco-Spanish forces forced a landing in the South, it was Green’s intention to turn the South Front and the town of Gibraltar into a citadel. Luckily, the defences of Charles V Wall were never tested.

Indeed, Green reckoned that the unprotected curtain wall between the Flat Bastion and Demi-bastion on the east side could be breached in eight hours.³

Green rightfully concluded that the success of the garrison lay in the ability to hold the sea wall and fortifications along the western sea wall. With the defeat of Napoleon, France’s power crumbled, and Britain now literally ruled the waves. Britain’s military power became absolute and colonial authorities finally became confident enough to expand beyond the confines of the old town. Gibraltar was now becoming a strategic base for naval operations in the Mediterranean and the small naval dockyard beyond Charles V Wall became increasingly strategic as a result.

Plan 2 A GENERAL PLAN of the FORTIFICATIONS of the TOWN of GRIBRALTAR, 1778 by William Test for Colonel Green R.E.

A second gate, Prince Edward’s Gate, was opened in 1790 but restricted access for garrison personnel and logistics only. This gate, hidden from view by the base of the Flat Bastion was much easier to defend and provided better access for the military compounds at Hargreaves, Town Range and Moorish Castle but it provided no relief for civilian circulation to and from the South.

Not until the threat of a French attack subsided and the construction of the new Europa defences in the South – including the defensible barracks of Lathbury and Buena Vista together with the added protection of the Europa Pass Gate – made the walled defences at Charles V of much less strategic value.

Plan de Gibraltar by Barbié du Bocage, 1799.

The original ‘Africa Gate’ was probably replaced around 1824, in line with the opening of the Watergate by Casemates Square to provide easier pedestrian and vehicular access via either end of town. The drawbridge was removed and the stone walkway extended right up to the gate. However, the inner access remained in place, including the symbols on the west door.

This new gate became known as the Southport Gate.

Southport Gates, 1857. The Spanish emblems were still within the inner courtyard gate.

Southport gates over original gate entrance, circa 1860's.

South Port with original gates and emblems, circa 1850's.

Sketch presumably executed before 1872 showing the first Southport Gate with the Spanish emblems emblazoned above the gate (1883 - Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News).

By the 1860’s, the civilian population had increased to over 15,000 and by 1871, this figure rose to 22,725 according to census records. Most of the immigrants were Maltese, many of whom had just finished construction of HM Dockyard in Malta and came to Gibraltar believing that construction of the Gibraltar dockyard was imminent. However, it would take another twenty years before the plan was approved. Nevertheless, many of the new arrivals from Malta began to populate the South areas around St. Joseph and Rosia in anticipation of this project.

Over time, the increase of vehicular and pedestrian traffic between the town area and the residents in the South via a restrictive gate system forced the colonial authorities to act. To ease congestion, a new pedestrian gate and bridge was built in 1867 and the entire inner gatehouse removed. The Spanish symbols from the demolished west gate were nevertheless preserved and erected above the present Southport gate.

South Port Gate and bridge, 1867.

Southport Gates and pedestrian access bridge, circa 1880's.

Southport Gates. The original Charles V one on the right, the other by Governor John Adye 4 dating from 1883 (G. Washington Wilson)

It was clear that one gate via a narrow bridge was insufficient. A second gate was erected in 1883 allowing two-way vehicular traffic into the town. It was identical to the first gate but ornamented with the coat of arms of Gibraltar and the governor General Sir John Miller Adye, over which stands the Royal Arms of Queen Victoria. This gate was known as the New Southport Gates. The covered way from the glacis on the red sands through the ditch was also widened in line with the addition of the new gate.

In 1889, a second pedestrian gate was opened on the curtain wall. There were now four gates between South Bastion and Trafalgar Cemetery.

Second pedestrian access gate erected, 1889.

South Port (Unknown), circa 1870's.

Ragged Staff and Southport Ditch, circa 1870.

Southport Gates sunken gardens, circa 1880.

South Port pedestrian gates, circa 1950's.

Whilst, the left flank of the south ditch had been consecrated into a cemetery in 1789, the right flank had been used as a sunken garden from the time the wall and ditch had first been built. The ditch included at least three wells – one being a very large Noria Well. British maps, some dating to 1742, refer to the use of the entire ditch for cultivation purposes.

The last vestiges of the sunken gardens disappeared when the last gate, the Referendum Gates, was erected in 1967 in order to ease traffic congestion in the area. This large opening on the medieval wall necessitated the removal of the two pedestrian gates as well as the last remaining section of the sunken gardens, which was filled in order to create the present Trafalgar interchange for vehicular traffic.

The old guardhouse, which since the early 20^th Century had been converted into the Naval Patrol House, was demolished to make way for this new entry point on the main wall.

10-Inch RML Mk II, Southport Gates

In 1880, three heavy 10-inch RML emplacements were constructed at South Bastion with the work completed a year later. The 10-inch guns were declared obsolete and removed from their emplacements less than ten years later. Two of these guns are now located at Grand Parade, whilst the third is on display within the entrance of Southport.

Links:

10-Inch RML Mk II, Southport Gates

10-Inch RML Mk II, Grand Parade

1 Cooper, Edward: Castillos Señoriales de Castilla de los siglos XV y XVI, vol. I, Madrid. (1991), Castillos Señoriales en la Corona de Castilla y León, Consejería de Cultura y Turismo, Junta de Castilla y León., p. 62.

2 Echarri Iribarren, Victor: defensive architecture of the Mediterranean XV to XVIII Centuries Vol. 5, (2017) Universidad de Alicante, Spain, p. XXVII

3 HUGHES, Quentin & MIGOS, Athanassios. Opcit., p. 363