Booth’s diaries

“Moorish Castle, situated on the side of the Hill to the North East of the Town and about 120 feet higher: ‘tis the remains of an Old Castle built by the Moors and there are great part of its Arches and Towers besides the Walls that encloses it entirely with some cisterns and Earthen pipes for the conveyance of water to its several parts.

This Castle is an irregular four sided figure. The North face to the Isthmus may be made use of for good Batteries against approaches made on the neck of land, the West face is a flank to the Grand Battery & Esplanade, the South face commands the Town and the East next the Hill has an excellent Magazine built by the Spaniards for 3,000 Barrels of Powder. There are mounted in and about the Castle two cannon and 3 thirteen inch Mortars.

Hospital for the Garrison and Pavillion for the Surgeons with a Barrack adjoining to it which had formerly been a Chapel of St John of God and repaired in 1736.

Rock Guard is of no service but as a place of observation towards the Isthmus, it is 1,333 feet high and the Road very steep and difficult from Willis’s Batteries to it.

Middle Hill situated in the saddle or hollow on the ridge of the mountain about 1,000 feet high with a seeming precipice at the back. There is a Sergeants Guard kept there and a Parapet built capable of containing 20 musqueteers. There is one dismounted cannon.

Signal House is a round Tower 1,342 feet high [means at a height of 1,342 feet] built and made use of by the Spaniards (as at present) to give intelligence to the Town by a person that was paid and appointed for the purpose of what ships are seen in the Ocean or Mediterranean by means of two horizontal poles pointing East and West on them are hung as many leather balls stuffed with straw, as ships appear on either side, ‘tis at present a Sergeant to Guard who does the duty of the Signal House Man.”

Image: Signal Station with its round tower. Watercolour by General Sir J. M. Adye, GCB, Governor of Gibraltar, 1883-1886

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