Green's Lodge Battery is an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to fac ...

in the

British Overseas Territory The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remna ...

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

. It is located on the North Face of the

Rock of Gibraltar The Rock of Gibraltar (from the Arabic name Jabel-al-Tariq) is a monolithic limestone promontory located in the British territory of Gibraltar, near the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, and near the entrance to the Mediterr ...

at the northern end of the

Upper Rock Nature Reserve The Gibraltar Nature Reserve (formerly the Upper Rock Nature Reserve) is a protected nature reserve in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar that covers over 40% of the country's land area. It was established as the Upper Rock Nature Rese ...

, above

Farringdon's Battery Farringdon's Battery (previously Willis' Battery) is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. Named after Sir Anthony Farrington, 1st Baronet, it is located above the north face of the Roc ...

. Also known as the Superior Battery, it was named after General Sir William Green, who served in Gibraltar for twenty-two years, most of them as the chief engineer of Gibraltar. In 1776, guns were first mounted on the battery, which also saw action during the

Great Siege of Gibraltar The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the War of the American Revolution. It was the largest battle in the war by number of combatants. The American war had end ...

. The emplacement also underwent reconstruction in the early and mid twentieth century. Green's Lodge Battery is listed with the Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

Early history

Green's Lodge Battery is in Gibraltar, the British Overseas Territory at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. The artillery battery is located more than 1,000 feet up the North Face of the Rock of Gibraltar, at the northern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, above

and adjacent to

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

property. Also referred to as the Superior Battery, the emplacement is positioned at the end of the Green's Lodge Nature Trail, off

Signal Station Road Signal Station Road is a road in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It leads down from the top of the Rock of Gibraltar, and skirts the Upper Rock Nature Reserve. Description The road takes its name from an old signal station built ...

. Green's Lodge Nature Trail is more formally referred to as Green's Lodge Road, although it bears little resemblance to a road in its current state. The battery was built in 1776, at which time five 24-pounder guns were mounted. The number of guns was later decreased to two. The emplacement was in active use at the time of the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779 – 1783). In October 1779, the considerable success of the military operations from Green's Lodge Battery during the Great Siege was such that the engineers were induced to construct a battery at Middle Hill, the

Rock Gun Battery Rock Gun Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located on the North Face of the Rock of Gibraltar at the northern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, above Green's Lodge Battery. The emplacement o ...

, which is now on Ministry of Defence property. Over the years, the emplacement has undergone reconstruction. In the early twentieth century, an observation post and the hall leading to it were built. Later, in the mid twentieth century, during the Second World War, an additional observation post was constructed.

William Green

Green's Lodge Battery was named after General Sir William Green, 1st Baronet Green of Marass, Kent (1725 – 1811). Green was an officer of the British Army who served on the European continent and in Canada until about 1761, when he was named senior engineer of Gibraltar. The following year he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Green designed and executed a number of military works on the Rock, and was promoted to chief engineer of Gibraltar in 1770. In 1772, his idea for a regiment of military artificers, rather than the civilian mechanics who had traditionally built military works, came to fruition. The Soldier Artificer Company was established that year. Their works included King's Bastion, which Green also designed. They represented the predecessor of the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners. Green was promoted to colonel in 1777, and ascended in rank to major general before leaving Gibraltar. He served in the capacity of chief engineer throughout the Great Siege of Gibraltar, designing, executing, and repairing fortifications throughout the siege. Green was in Gibraltar for twenty-two years, from 1761 to 1783. After his return to England following the conclusion of the Great Siege, he was named chief engineer of Great Britain and a baronetcy was created for him. By 1798, he had been promoted to a full general.

Recent history

Green's Lodge Battery is accessed via the Green's Lodge Nature Trail which goes out through a gap in the fencing surrounding Signal Station Road. The condition of the battery is generally poor, with the battery and the surrounding area derelict. Rubble is strewn throughout and the area is a favourite of a small herd of mountain goats. The view from the battery includes North Front Cemetery, the

airport runway According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt, concrete, o ...

, and the town of La Línea de la Concepción in Spain. Below Green's Lodge, Farringdon's Battery perches on the cliff. Green's Lodge Battery is listed with the Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

Gallery

File:Green's Lodge Battery passage to observation post.png, Passage to early twentieth century observation post at Green's Lodge Battery File:Green's Lodge Battery interior.png, Interior view of Green's Lodge with evidence of 18th century construction File:Panorama from Green's Lodge Battery.png, From Green's Lodge Battery,

lower left, North Front Cemetery lower right File:Green's Lodge Battery observation post.png, Observation post on top of

which dates to World War II File:Green's Lodge Battery mountain goat.png, Mountain goats that take shelter at Green's Lodge Battery

References

External links

Google map of Green's Lodge Battery
{{Fortifications of Gibraltar Batteries in Gibraltar Coastal artillery