Middle Hill Battery

Middle Hill Battery
Part of Fortifications of Gibraltar
Upper Rock Nature Reserve, Gibraltar
Middle Hill Battery and nearby buildings. A - Battery, B - Nursery Hut (Barrack), C - Middle Hill Group, D - Observation post, E - Derelict buildings (Feeding station for apes), F - Steps to highest point, G - Highest point. North is to the left.
Green's Lodge Nature Trail (A-B-C), Green's Lodge Battery (D), Middle Hill Nature Trail (E), Middle Hill Battery (F-G). North to left.
Middle Hill Battery is located in Gibraltar
Middle Hill Battery
Middle Hill Battery
Coordinates36°08′25″N 5°20′40″W / 36.140413°N 5.344465°W / 36.140413; -5.344465
TypeArtillery Battery
Site information
Open to
the public		Yes
Site history
Built1727 (1727)
In useDecommissioned

Middle Hill Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located on Middle Hill, at the northeastern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, just south of Green's Lodge Battery and Rock Gun Battery. The emplacement dates to 1727, when a single gun was mounted. By the turn of the twentieth century, six 10-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns were present at Middle Hill Battery. Other buildings documented at that time as part of the battery complex included the Nursery Hut (barrack accommodation) and the Middle Hill Group, the latter a cluster of buildings which perched on the cliff edge. An anti-aircraft Bofors gun had been installed at the battery by the Second World War. After the war, the area transitioned to use as a Ministry of Defence aerial farm. In 2005, the battery and surrounding area were transferred to the Government of Gibraltar. The site is now managed by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society.

Early history

1908 OS map of Middle Hill Battery, on the Upper Rock in Gibraltar, including the Nursery Hut and the Middle Hill Group

Middle Hill Battery is in Gibraltar, the British Overseas Territory at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula.[1][2] The artillery battery is located at the northeastern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve.[3][4] The emplacement is positioned on Rock Gun Road, at Middle Hill, south of Green's Lodge Battery and Rock Gun Battery.[3][4][5] It can be accessed on foot by the Middle Hill Nature Trail, more formally known as Middle Hill Road, which extends along a low wall to the battery complex. However, the condition of the trail bears little resemblance to a road.[3][5]

In 1727, a single gun was mounted at Middle Hill Battery.[6] In the eighteenth century, guards were regularly posted at the battery. This was primarily to prevent desertions, as soldiers had, on a number of occasions, lowered themselves down the cliff by means of ropes.[7] In at least one instance, it was a guard who attempted to desert.[8] In January 1783, some sparks started a fire in an ammunition box at one of the buildings in the Middle Hill Battery complex. The explosion destroyed the guardhouse and part of the wall, injuring several of the guards as well. The damaged facilities were quickly repaired.[9] By the middle of the nineteenth century, in 1859, there was still only one cannon present at Middle Hill Battery.[6]

However, by 1900, six 10-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns were present in a layout similar to that at Spyglass Battery. The changes at the turn of the twentieth century are shown in the 1908 Ordnance Survey map (pictured at left), which demonstrates two rows of three guns. The rectangular, concrete, sunken battery surrounding the cannons is depicted on the map as well. The weapons at Middle Hill Battery had a range of 9,000 yards (8,200 m) and were targeted at emplacements in Spain.[6]

The OS map also reveals that barrack accommodation known as the Nursery Hut was present in 1908. Just to the east of the battery, a group of military buildings referred to as the Middle Hill Group was positioned at the cliff edge. By the Second World War, an anti-aircraft Bofors gun was mounted at the battery.[6] However, after the war, Middle Hill Battery and the surrounding Middle Hill were repurposed as a Ministry of Defence aerial farm which was then refurbished in 1958. That restoration and reconstruction was performed by the Radio Engineering Unit of RAF Henlow. Multiple buildings were constructed at that time. Numerous radio masts were scattered on concrete bases across Middle Hill.[4][5][10]

Recent history

Middle Hill Battery was an excluded area for decades, where unauthorised entry by the public was considered a criminal offence.[11] In an agreement signed on 20 April 2004, much of the land at Middle Hill was transferred from the Ministry of Defence to the Government of Gibraltar in April 2005.[12] Ministry of Defence personnel left the Middle Hill area and much of their equipment was removed, although they still retain control over the Rock Gun Battery site, where radio masts persist, further north along Rock Gun Road. The area is now managed by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society.[3][4][13]

The site of the original battery now contains a former air conditioning plant and an electricity transformer. The artillery magazine and storage rooms are still present, with one of them converted for recreational purposes to the Aardvark Bar, for Royal Air Force personnel. The Nursery Hut and Middle Hill Group are extant, although the former is in poor condition. An observation post is located south of the battery, as is a group of derelict buildings that have been repurposed for years as a provisioning station for the group of Barbary macaques referred to as the Middle Hill Group (to be distinguished from the buildings described above). Stairs lead to the highest point of Middle Hill, marked by a large concrete base.[6]

  • Nursery Hut (barrack accommodation)
    Nursery Hut (barrack accommodation)
  • Middle Hill Battery at Middle Hill
    Middle Hill Battery
    at Middle Hill
  • Provisioning station for Barbary macaques
    Provisioning station for Barbary macaques
  • Middle Hill Group at cliff edge
    Middle Hill Group
    at cliff edge

References

  1. ^ "List of Crown Dependencies & Overseas Territories". fco.gov.uk. Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  2. ^ Roach, John (10 October 2006). "Neandertals' Last Stand was in Gibraltar, Study Suggests". National Geographic News. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 14 November 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d "Map of Middle Hill Battery". maps.google.com. Google Maps. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d "Green's Lodge Battery - Nature Trail (A, B, C)". discovergibraltar.com. DiscoverGibraltar.com (Click Gun Batteries, then Green's Lodge Battery). Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "Middle Hill - Nature Trail (E)". discovergibraltar.com. DiscoverGibraltar.com (Click Gun Batteries, Green's Lodge Battery, then E - Middle Hill Nature Trail). Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Middle Hill Battery". discovergibraltar.com. DiscoverGibraltar.com (Click Gun Batteries, Green's Lodge Battery, then F, G - Middle Hill Battery). Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  7. ^ Cornwell, B (1782). A description of Gibraltar: with an account of the blockade, siege, the attempt by nine sail of fire ships, the sally made from the garrison, and every thing remarkable or worthy notice that has occurred in that place since the commencement of the Spanish war. Printed for B. Cornwell. p. 4. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  8. ^ Drinkwater Bethune, John (1786). A history of the late siege of Gibraltar (2 ed.). p. 68. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  9. ^ Drinkwater Bethune, John (1786). A history of the late siege of Gibraltar (2 ed.). p. 338. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Ex-RAF Aerial Erectors Association". hariggers.co.uk. Ex-RAF Aerial Erectors Association. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  11. ^ "Restricted Areas Notice" (PDF). gibraltarlaws.gov.gi. Government of Gibraltar. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  12. ^ "Details of the Lands Transfer Agreement". gibraltar.gov.gi. Government of Gibraltar. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  13. ^ "Gibraltar Nature News" (PDF). gonhs.org. Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society. Autumn 2006. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Middle Hill Battery.

Read other articles:

Elex Media Komputindo

PT Elex Media KomputindoLogo Elex Media KomputindoPerusahaan indukKompas Gramedia GroupStatusAktifDidirikan15 Januari 1985 (1985-01-15)Negara asalIndonesiaKantor pusatJakarta PusatDistribusiGramediaJenis terbitanBukuKomikMajalahNovelImprintLevel ComicsQuantaSitus resmiwww.elexmedia.id PT Elex Media Komputindo adalah sebuah perusahaan penerbit di Indonesia yang mengkhususkan diri dalam penerbitan buku, komik, majalah, novel, dan media cetak lainnya. Didirikan pada tanggal 15 Januari 1985,...

 

KiraKira☆PreCure À La Mode

KiraKira☆PreCure À La ModePoster promosi yang menampilkan (searah jarum jam dari kiri bawah): Cure Gelato, Cure Chocolat, Cure Whip (tengah), Pekorin (atas), Cure Macaron, dan Cure Custard.キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード(Kirakira☆Purikyua A Ra Mōdo)GenreMagical girl Seri animeSutradaraKohei KuretaYukio KaizawaProduserAkira TanakaRisa EndōYu KaminokiSkenarioHitoshi TanakaMusikYuki HayashiStudioToei AnimationSaluranasliANN (ABC, TV Asahi)Tayang 5 Februari 2017 – 28 Januar...

 

Pucallpa

City in Ucayali, Peru This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Spanish. (August 2010) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Spanish article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translatio...

Denny Crum

Questa voce sull'argomento allenatori di pallacanestro statunitensi è solo un abbozzo. Contribuisci a migliorarla secondo le convenzioni di Wikipedia. Segui i suggerimenti del progetto di riferimento. Denny Crum Denny Crum nel 2011 Nazionalità  Stati Uniti Altezza 183 cm Pallacanestro Ruolo PlaymakerAllenatore Termine carriera 1959 - giocatore2001 - allenatore Hall of fame Naismith Hall of Fame (1994) Carriera Giovanili San Fernando High School1955-1957Los Angeles Pierce Col...

 

ロバート・デ・ニーロ

ロバート・デ・ニーロRobert De Niro 2011年のデ・ニーロ生年月日 (1943-08-17) 1943年8月17日（80歳）出生地 アメリカ合衆国・ニューヨーク州ニューヨーク市身長 177 cm職業 俳優、映画監督、映画プロデューサージャンル 映画、テレビドラマ活動期間 1963年 -配偶者 ダイアン・アボット（1976年 - 1988年）グレイス・ハイタワー（1997年 - ）主な作品 『ミーン・ストリート』（1973年）...

 

Epic poetry

Lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily detailing extraordinary and heroic deeds For other uses of epic, see Epic (disambiguation). A tablet containing a fragment of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Literature Oral literature Folklore fable fairy tale folk play folksong heroic epic legend myth proverb Oration Performance audiobook spoken word Saying Major written forms Drama closet drama Poetry lyric narrative Prose Nonsense verse Ergodic Electronic Long prose fiction Anthology Serial Novel/romance Short pr...

How Was I to Know (Reba McEntire song)

1996 single by Reba McEntireHow Was I To KnowSingle by Reba McEntirefrom the album What If It's You B-sideJust Looking for HimReleasedDecember 16, 1996RecordedMay 1996GenreCountryLength3:42LabelMCASongwriter(s)Cathy Majeski, Sunny Russ, Stephony SmithProducer(s)John Guess and Reba McEntireReba McEntire singles chronology The Fear of Being Alone (1996) How Was I To Know (1996) I'd Rather Ride Around with You (1997) How Was I To Know is a song written by Stephony Smith, Cathy Majeski and Sonny ...

 

Freemason's Grave

Tomb and memorial in Helsinki, FinlandFreemason's Grave in Kaisaniemi The Freemason's Grave is a grave monument on a grassy knoll northwest of the Kaisaniemi Botanical Gardens in Helsinki, Finland.[1][2] It commemorates Fredrik Granatenhjelm, a notable artillery officer from the Suomenlinna fortress, who later moved to the mainland Helsinki proper, gaining great repute as a philanthropist. Granatenhjelm A Swedish Royal Knight; a veteran of the Seven Years' War and the War of t...

 

Raymond Triboulet

Pour les articles homonymes, voir Triboulet (homonymie). Raymond Triboulet Fonctions Député français 9 décembre 1958 – 1er avril 1973(14 ans, 3 mois et 23 jours) Élection 30 novembre 1958 Réélection 25 novembre 196212 mars 196730 juin 1968 Circonscription 4e du Calvados Législature Ire, IIe, IIIe et IVe (Cinquième République) Groupe politique UNR (1958-1962)UNR-UDT (1962-1967)UD-Ve (1967-1968)UDR (1968-1973) Prédécesseur Circonscription créée Successeur Franço...

McLaren M6A

A McLaren M6B with an M8C in the background M6GT racecar turned road-legal coupe The McLaren M6A was a Group 7 prototype race car designed and developed by driver Bruce McLaren, and built by his Bruce McLaren Motor Racing team for their entry in 1967 Can-Am season.[1][2][3] As a replacement for the team's M1Bs from 1966, the Chevrolet-powered M6A's improved design earned Bruce McLaren and his team their first of multiple Can-Am championships.[4] After the M6As...

 

Otteman III Mahmud Ma'amun

Otteman III Mahmud Ma'amun Padrap Perkasa Alam ShahSeri Paduka Tuanku SultanSultan DeliBerkuasa1998 – 2005PendahuluSultan Azmi Perkasa Alam Shah AlhajPenerusSultan Mahmud Arya Lamanjiji Perkasa Alam ShahInformasi pribadiKelahiran(1966-08-30)30 Agustus 1966Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaKematian21 Juli 2005Lhokseumawe, Aceh, IndonesiaPemakamanMasjid Raya Al-Mashun, MedanNama lengkapLetnan Kolonel (Infantri) Tengku Otteman Mahmud Ma'amun Padrap[1]PasanganPuang Hajjah Siska Mara Bintang, Raja A...

 

Северный морской котик

Северный морской котик Самец Научная классификация Домен:ЭукариотыЦарство:ЖивотныеПодцарство:ЭуметазоиБез ранга:Двусторонне-симметричныеБез ранга:ВторичноротыеТип:ХордовыеПодтип:ПозвоночныеИнфратип:ЧелюстноротыеНадкласс:ЧетвероногиеКлада:АмниотыКлада:Синапси...

قائمة الدول ذات السيادة والأراضي التابعة لها حسب القارة

يفتقر محتوى هذه المقالة إلى الاستشهاد بمصادر. فضلاً، ساهم في تطوير هذه المقالة من خلال إضافة مصادر موثوق بها. أي معلومات غير موثقة يمكن التشكيك بها وإزالتها. (مارس 2016) This list divides the world using the seven-continent model, with islands grouped into adjacent continents. The continents are: إفريقيا آسيا أوروبا أمريكا الشمالية ...

 

2020年夏季奧林匹克運動會波蘭代表團

2020年夏季奥林匹克运动会波兰代表團波兰国旗IOC編碼POLNOC波蘭奧林匹克委員會網站olimpijski.pl（英文）（波兰文）2020年夏季奥林匹克运动会（東京）2021年7月23日至8月8日（受2019冠状病毒病疫情影响推迟，但仍保留原定名称）運動員206參賽項目24个大项旗手开幕式：帕维尔·科热尼奥夫斯基（游泳）和马娅·沃什乔夫斯卡（自行车）[1]闭幕式：卡罗利娜·纳亚（皮划艇）&#...

 

Cato Maximilian Guldberg

Cato Maximilian Guldberg Cato Maximilian Guldberg (lahir 11 Agustus 1836 di Christiania [sekarang Oslo], Norwegia - meninggal 14 Januari 1902 di Christiania pada umur 65 tahun) adalah seorang fisikawan dan kimiawan Norwegia yang merumuskan Hukum Aksi Massa bersama Peter Waage, yang menjelaskan tentang efek konsentrasi, massa dan suhu pada laju reaksi kimia.[1][2] Guldberg adalah anak sulung dari sembilan bersaudara dari pasangan Carl Agustus Guldberg dan Hanna Sophie Theresia ...

Sa'sa' Massacre

1948 killing of Palestinians by Israeli forces IDF soldiers in Sa'sa', 30 October 1948 In February 1948, Yigal Allon, commander of the Palmach in the north, ordered an attack on Sa'sa'. The order was given to Moshe Kelman, the deputy commander of Third Battalion. The order read: You have to blow up twenty houses and kill as many warriors as possible.[1][2] According to Ilan Pappé, warriors should be read as villagers to properly understand the order.[1] Khalidi, refer...

 

Абд ар-Рахман ібн Катір аль-Лахмі

Абд ар-Рахман ібн Катір аль-ЛахміКраїна  Омеядський халіфатНаціональність арабПосада валіТермін 746—747 рокиПопередник Туваба ібн-Салама аль-ГудаміНаступник Юсуф ібн Абд-ар-Рахман аль-ФіхріКонфесія ісламРід аль-ЛахміБатько Катір Абд ар-Рахман ібн Катір аль-Лахмі (*ара...

 

Monetary reform

Movements to amend the financial system This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) Some of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. Please help improve this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed. (April 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article relies excessively on references to primary...

Algeria Quran

Quranic manuscript This article is about Quran. For other uses, see Quran (disambiguation). Algeria Quran The front (first) page of Algeria QuranOriginal titleمصحف الجزائرIllustratorMohamed Cherifi [ar]LanguageArabicGenreQuranic Mus'hafPublisherSNED, ENAGPublication date1979Publication placeAlgeriaPages607 (first edition) The Algeria Quran is a Quranic manuscript (mus'haf) written in Algeria with the Kufic script,[1] written according to the Warsh recitati...

 

Wild Animals

Wild AnimalsPoster Film Promosi Wild AnimalsNama lainHangul야생동물 보호구역 Hanja野生動物 保護區域 Alih Aksara yang DisempurnakanYasaeng dongmul bohoguyeogMcCune–ReischauerYasaeng tongmul pohoguyŏg SutradaraKi-duk KimProduserKwon Ki-yeong Park Kwang-suDitulis olehKi-duk KimPemeranCho Jae-hyun Jang Dong-jik Jang RyunPenata musikKang In-gu Oh Jin-haSinematograferSeo Jeong-minPenyuntingPark Seon-deokDistributorDream CinemaTanggal rilis 1996 (1996) NegaraKorea...