The Convent | Office of the Governor

Transcription

The Convent
An Illustrated Guide Book
Convent_Book_update_2013_Convent book 6/5/13 10:00 AM Page 1
INTRODUCTION
J
ust as the Convent sits right at the heart of Gibraltar, so also does
the long, varied and fascinating story of the Convent sit at the heart
of the history of Gibraltar itself.
Successive Governors have not only enjoyed the privilege of living and
working here, but have also accepted the responsibility of acting as its
custodian. Part of that responsibility is to preserve not only the building and
garden themselves but also the knowledge of them. Opening the Convent
to local schoolchildren and conducted groups helps to spread this knowledge
and in a small way, encourages the growing interest in Gibraltar's heritage.
The warm and welcoming Gibraltarian character, coupled with the profusion
of heritage with which the Rock is endowed, produces a contagious desire
to help Gibraltar safeguard that heritage. Both the Government of Gibraltar
and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have invested heavily in the
upkeep of the Convent. More widely, the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, supported
by the Government of Gibraltar, is doing much for local heritage with
the encouragement of the Friends of Gibraltar Society which is based in
UK.
This edition of the booklet has, like previous ones, has been put together by
Pepe Rosado to provide an insight into the Convent’s historic wealth. Pepe
and his colleagues Denis King and Pepe Romero have been taking adults
and children on historical tours of the Convent for many years. During that
time, thousands of Gibraltarian schoolchildren have visited the Convent, as
well as many adults, including teachers, parents and members of local clubs.
This Booklet is a guide for those on conducted tours as well as for guests.
Welcome to the Convent. Please enjoy your visit.
1
THE CONVENT
T
he Convent has been the official and historic name of the Governor of
Gibraltar's Palace for 300 years.
In 1462 Christian forces took Gibraltar bringing an end to seven and a half
centuries of Moorish domination. Some of the first Christian settlers were
Franciscan friars who lived from about 1480 in wooden huts and other
temporary structures in the area of what today are the Convent gardens.
It took the first friars almost 50 years to raise enough money to improve their
living conditions. By 1528 they had built more permanent dwellings and this
probably included most of the square shaped building forming the Cloister.
The first permanent structure built by the Franciscan friars in the very early
16th Century was probably the area where the Governor's office is today. In
1531 a most generous donation of land, money and cut stone allowed the
friars to construct a chapel far larger than they had hoped for. The benefactor
also provided for very useful additions to the permanent structure, including
an attractive cloister.
Pirate raids were fairly common in the Mediterranean and the worst in
recorded local history is the massive and destructive pirate attack of 1540.
The Convent suffered the same fate as Our Lady of Europe and when the
friars returned after the raid they had to carry out extensive repairs.
No doubt further minor alterations occurred between 1535 and 1704. But
the arrival of forces supporting the Hapsburg Archduke Charles of Austria
(self-styled as Charles III of Spain) in 1704 caused a dramatic change in
Gibraltar. By the time the war of the Spanish Succession was over and
peace signed in 1713 (Treaty of Utrecht), the French pretender, Philip of
Anjou, had won and was proclaimed Philip V of Spain. Gibraltar had suffered
during the assault and capture ( on behalf of the Hapsburg pretenders) by
the Anglo/Dutch Forces in 1704 and also during the subsequent counter
attack by forces loyal to Philip in the same year.
The Franciscan friars had stayed behind in the first instance, probably
thinking things would revert to normal fairly soon. But by 1711 it seemed
likely that Gibraltar would become a permanent British possession. The 1713
Treaty confirmed this.
In 1711 the then Governor decided to requisition the Convent as his palace
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and headquarters. Some time between 1714 and 1727 (during the reign of
King George I) the chapel was named as King's Chapel.
Since 1711 succeeding Governors lived and worked in the Convent.
Perhaps because it was the Governor's Palace extensive repairs were
effected after the 1727 siege. The Great Siege of 1779/83 again caused
severe damage to the building and repairs were extensive and drawn out:
the damage occasioned by the Great Siege was still being tackled 18 years
later. When HRH the Duke of Kent (son of King George III and later father
of Queen Victoria) arrived as Governor in 1802, a large Banqueting Room
had been prepared using part of the chapel to the Convent. The western
half of the nave of the chapel was hived off, thus reducing the bill to make
good the damages to the very attractive chapel. Probably no suitable living
accommodation was ready in the Convent and so the Duke took up
residence across the road in "Duke of Kent House" though he did use the
new Banqueting Room at the Convent.
Some say the Royal Governor found the large Banqueting Room very chilly;
perhaps not surprising when it is considered that the room was the full height
of the Chapel.
But even the name the Convent would provide a further element to its
already rich history. In 1908 King Edward VII visited Gibraltar and stayed at
the Convent. When this was reported in the UK press some protestant
extremists protested at the monarch staying in a "Roman Catholic
Nunnery".
The somewhat excusable mistake comes through the continued use over
several centuries of the Spanish word "Convento" which can mean either a
monastery or a nunnery. In fact, the Convent was only ever inhabited by
friars. Nuns never lived in the Convent and strictly speaking the Convent
should have been called the Friary.
However, once the matter had been clarified the name " the Convent" was
changed to what seemed the more appropriate name of " Government
House". A letter giving these instructions was sent to Gibraltar in 1908.
When King George VI stayed in Gibraltar during the Second World War
(1943) he was no doubt told this story.
His Majesty, on arriving back in Britain, expressed his desire that the old and
historic name of the Convent should be reinstated. Here again a letter
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conveying His Majesty's wishes was sent to Gibraltar in 1943. These two
letters are still kept today in the Convent.
The official address of the residence and the office of the Governor in
Gibraltar is again simply:
I
HE the Governor
The Convent
Gibraltar.
n 1863/64 Lt General Sir William Codrington had major improvements
carried out which totally changed the whole character of the old
Convent but which gave us some of the most attractive rooms that have
survived to this day.
The new brick façade facing Main Street was built about this time, as well
as the new large wooden staircase by the entrance. In 1879 a new wing was
added westwards by the then Governor, Lord Napier of Magdala, a forebear
of Sir Richard Luce, the first civilian Governor of Gibraltar (1997 - 2000).
The period 1850-1880 could be regarded as the " Golden Years of the
Convent " as the Governor's Palace. Unlike previous occasions when repairs
were made following siege damage, renovations made during this period
were well thought out and planned.
In April 1951 history almost repeated itself in terms of destruction in Gibraltar
when an ammunition ship, the SS "Bedenham" blew up whilst discharging
its cargo in the inner harbour, only 300 metres from the Convent. It caused
much damage to the Convent and its Chapel (and to all Gibraltar and even
breaking windows in Algeciras). This was not a siege but the destruction was
comparable.
Much was then done to make the old Convent presentable, especially when
King George VI died and our new monarch Queen Elizabeth II was expected
to pay a visit to Gibraltar. But the coffers were very taxed by the major repairs
required all over Gibraltar following the Bedenham explosion and some of
the repairs required at the Convent were never done.
Like many old buildings the Convent attracts a story or two and perhaps
4
the best known is the one about the Spanish nun who was brought to the
Convent to be executed in a rather bizarre manner in the 16th century ,thus
becoming the Convent's resident ghost. ( See "Story of the Convent Ghost"
at Annex I.)
There is little scope here for describing the many interesting guests who
have stayed at the Convent but perhaps an exception should be made for
the late US President Eisenhower who stayed here for a few days in
November 1942, relieving the Governor of his job as Commander-in-Chief.
He planned the final stages of Operation Torch from inside the Rock, an
operation which helped to turn the tide of the War.
This booklet offers visitors some notes on the Convent, which may prove of
interest. A selection of very brief "Historical notes" follows and was put
together as a fireside story tour of the old building. Relaxing in a comfortable
armchair, the reader is able to "walk about" the different rooms of the palace.
Let your eyes do the walking!
(The Main Entrance facing Main Street)
5
HISTORICAL NOTES
Main Entrance
T
he main entrance facing Main Street was originally the back door to the
Franciscan Convent (1528-1711) and for the next 150 years to the
Governor's palace. It was not till the 1860s that the new and impressive brick
façade and stone balcony was added. Something rather interesting then
occurred. The back door in Main Street became the main entrance and the
old main entrance west of the chapel became the back door, the servant’s
entrance and the access to the stables.
The new stone portico allowed the Governor or visitors to alight from or
mount their carriages without getting wet in rainy weather. Today, official cars
have replaced the carriages. The stone balcony overlooking Convent Place
is a most useful addition allowing Governors to take the salute, wave to
crowds and watch processions. Important occasions such as the
proclamation of a monarch, have been made from this balcony.
A guard post had been provided here in Main Street (old Southport Street)
before this major change. Now the No1 Guard to the Convent adds dignity
to the main entrance to the Governor's Palace.
Main Staircase
P
ossibly following the damage suffered to the south transept during the
Great Siege, King’s Chapel was completely segregated from the
Convent by a wooden structure.
This area of the south transept was now within the Palace and was used for
the new and imposing wooden stairs completed in the second half of the
19th Century. These stairs provided the much needed tasteful access
between the ground and the first floor of the palace.
The ceiling of the south transept is still visible today. However this may not
be the original but the salvaged ceiling expensively repaired after the Great
Siege.
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At the top of the wooden stairs an old
iron chest was once the safe used for
the pay of the Royal Engineers.
The high backed chair was presented
by Archdeacon Burrows to the Convent
in 1865 to be kept in the Convent as an
heirloom which had come from the
Cathedral of Seville.
Cloister/corridor 1st Floor
A
number of items, portraits,
and pieces of furniture are
exhibited and give life to the upper
cloister.
The most striking is a copy of a painting
by Winterhalter of a young Queen
Victoria which used to hang in the Ballroom, but was placed here in the
main corridor overlooking the main staircase in 1999.
There is a copy of the original Grant of
Arms to Gibraltar by Queen Isabel of
Castille in 1502. These arms, the
Castle and Key, were subsequently
used by the first British Governor of
Gibraltar. They continued in use and
finally the emerging Gibraltarians
adopted them as the Coat of Arms of
the City of Gibraltar. From this
developed the Gibraltar flag.
A set of old keys hang in a glass case
in the corridor. These are all original
keys for the gates and wickets of the
City and Garrison of Gibraltar.These
were in use for over 100 years until
1925 when General Sir Charles Munro
(Governor 1923-8) seeing that they would not be used any more, made them
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a permanent exhibition of the Convent.
Four keys of this same period are held
in the Banqueting Hall.
The photograph album in the glass case
contains pictures of Gibraltar at different
dates including many of the now
obsolete batteries before they were
dismantled.
These early pictures include photos of
the harbour before the current enlarged
harbour and naval dockyard was built.
An old visitor's book on display contains
many names of visiting Royalty. However the charming signature " Dick " is
that of Lord Louis Mountbatten of
Burma when he was a 6 year old child
visiting the Convent with his father and
family in Christmas / New Year in 1905
/1906. It is also signed by Theodore Roosevelt who may have been on a
European tour.
The Ballroom
O
riginally part of the old Convent Chapel, this room was converted
into its present use early in the 19th Century. A number of Royal
Paintings grace this, the largest room in the palace.
It is not difficult to imagine what this room must have looked like during the
balls held here in the 19th century. Beautiful chandeliers hung from the tall
ceiling, large mirrors added brilliance by reflecting the light of many candles.
The band would play at the west end, where the floor is slightly raised.
Lady Luce caused a remarkable restoration to this Ballroom in 1999/2000.
Mrs Durie continued with similar efforts during 2001 as rain penetration
started to threaten the good work of her predecessor.
This ballroom is used for many and diverse charity functions. Piano
concerts, special musical evenings and other cultural events grow in
frequency and popularity each year.
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(The Ballroom looking east)
Visitors ' Bedrooms
T
here are three bedrooms for visitors on the first floor. These are
usually kept ready and are shown to visiting parties when not in use.
These bedrooms have now been named very aptly by Mrs Susan Durie, wife
of Governor Durie, as "Eliott", "Nelson", and “Rooke", (Dec 2001).
Billiard Room (Just off the Cloister 1st floor, in the New Wing)
O
ne of the few rest rooms is the Billiard room which is in the new wing
added to the Convent in 1879 by Lord Napier of Magdala. A full size
billiard table takes up the centre of the room which is most useful as a table
to display some very interesting scrap books kept by Governors in the last
50 years or so.
The wooden adornments in the skylight over the billiard table came from a
French frigate of the late 18th or early 19th century.
On 10 December 1885 lightening struck the new wing of the Convent whilst
the Governor, General Sir John Adye, was playing billiards.
His Excellency was unharmed.
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The Drawing Room
T
he Drawing Room is perhaps the
prettiest room in the Convent. It
does not possess the history and
palatial looks of the Banqueting Hall
but is nevertheless a very attractive,
popular and homely room. Informal
receptions also take place here. It
usually contains some personal items
belonging to the Governor of the day
and his wife. Over the fireplace hangs
a most interesting naval scene of
HMS VICTORY being towed into
Rosia Bay with the body of Nelson
onboard a week after the Battle of
Trafalgar.
There are also some attractive Carter prints of Gibraltar in the 1800s. Two
large chandeliers of cut glass complement the interesting ceiling made of
tin/iron.
(The Drawing Room looking west)
10
The Dining Room
T
his small room is used for all meals, except when the Governor
arranges a more formal occasion which requires the use of the
Banqueting Hall.
The dining room, much the same as the Drawing Room, often contains
personal items belonging to the Governor in office. These two rooms, the
Drawing Room and the Dining Room, have been the most regularly used by
successive Governors in the Convent. Both rooms have a clear view of the
Convent garden.
Here again, Lady Luce
during 1999/2000
managed to save
both the Drawing
Room and the Dining
Room from falling into
appalling condition.
Timely repairs have
brought back a lustre
to these two rooms
which was sadly
lacking for too many
years.
( The Dining Room looking south west)
The Banqueting Hall
T
he Banqueting Hall is everything that means " The Convent "
masterfully blended into a most striking visual record. Some 1300
years of history are depicted using coats of arms, shields and pennants. The
whole room has an aura and odour of history.
There are far too many interesting features in the Banqueting Hall to
enumerate here. Just a few of the more salient ones are mentioned.
Shields of the British Governors of Gibraltar hang all around the walls,
covering the period 1704 to the present date. On the panels of the windows
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and alcoves are lists of Moorish Kings and Governors of Gibraltar from 711
to 1462. Above these are the Coat of Arms or shields of Spanish
Kings/Queens and Governors of Gibraltar1462 to 1704 (along with other
important Spanish families closely associated with Gibraltar and its history).
On the east and west walls hang the Coats of Arms of the English/British
Monarchs of Gibraltar, beginning with Queen Anne and covering the last 300
years.
The Black Angels forming the corbels of the roof were designed and carved
in 1863 by Prince Victor of Hohenlohe. The support shields are charged with
the monograms of the Principal Kings and Queens of Great Britain and
Spain who have possessed Gibraltar.
The panels at the end east doors of the Banqueting Hall are made from old
dining tables which themselves were made from cedar wood salvaged from
the wrecks of the Spanish and French floating batteries which attacked the
Rock in September 1782 during the Great Siege. The repaired shot holes
and the blackened burnt spots are clearly visible.
There are a number of oil paintings, the most important of which is that of
General Eliott (later Baron Lord Heathfield of Gibraltar) defender of Gibraltar
throughout the Great Siege 1779-83 and is a copy of the famous portrait by
Sir Joshua Reynolds in the National Gallery, London.
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In a glass case are four of the last working keys of Gibraltar. Replicas
of these four keys are used for the Ceremony of the Keys and other
ceremonials, and are usually found on a cushion on the Banqueting Table.
The Banqueting Hall (modelled on a Medieval Hall) was designed more or
less as we see it today for Governor Codrington in 1864-5. Major changes
were effected after the Bedenham disaster of 1951. Although much was
repaired, some of the crests/coats of arms were lost, as were the three
superb stained glass windows of 1864.
Over the next century and a half, succeeding Governors have continued to
add history and colour to this majestic Hall. Although small compared to
anything at Buckingham Palace, the sense of history in this room befits it
for the Sovereign Representative in Gibraltar.
(The Cloister looking south west)
The Convent Cloister: Ground Floor
O
nce you pass from the main entrance into the Convent, you go down
five steps and enter the square Cloister, built about 1533. This
square is surrounded by an arched covered way and had a well in the centre.
The first floor above was also made of open arches which have been
subsequently filled in, mainly the 20th century, to exclude the rain and cold.
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In the centre and replacing the old well, is a fountain donated by Governor
and Lady Luce.
The dominating feature in the Cloister is the black statue of the Governor
of Gibraltar during the Great Siege, General Sir George Augustus Eliott (later
1st Baron Lord Heathfield of Gibraltar) Governor of Gibraltar 1777 to 1790.
This interesting statue is made of wood from
the Spanish ship “ San Juan Nepomuceno” or
(“ Nepomuk”) captured at Trafalgar (1805). The
stand is made from beams of the old Convent
which were removed in the reconstruction
works of 1864. This wooden statue was
intended for the Alameda Gardens, but as fate
would have it, a bronze bust of General Eliott
was donated by the General’s family to be exhibited in the Alameda Gardens, allowing this
more delicate and historic piece to survive
under cover in the Convent Cloister.
The wooden statue was finished in 1815 ready
for the opening of the Alameda Gardens in
1816. The bronze bust replaced the wooden
statue in 1858. General Eliott was considered
one of the great heroes of the British nation,
sadly forgotten now. His statue is in St Paul’s
Cathedral between Admirals Nelson and
Collingwood which indicates his public standing in the 19th Century.
All around the Cloister there are different kinds of shells and shot used in
Gibraltar. Most of these were recovered during work inside the New Mole in
1871 – 72 and presented to the Convent by the Admiralty. These include
cast iron hollow shot c.1780, most probably fired from 32 pounder and 56
pounder guns. The two brass guns either side of the entrance to the
Governor’s office are probably from the wrecked Spanish warships as is the
4 inch bore iron gun in the corner.
Much of the collection of different shot is from the Great Siege. The stone
balls were from an earlier age but were smoothed and made ready for use
during the Great Siege as a last resort should the garrison run short of
supplies of iron shot.
14
A list of British Governors hangs on the south wall of the Cloister. This is a
most interesting record of the last 300 years.
There are two large murals painted by Lieutenant Marshman of the 28th
Regiment (Gloucestershire) in 1870. The one on the south wall depicts the
83rd Regt (Royal Ulster Rifles) at the storming of Badajoz on 11 March 1811
during the Peninsular War. The northern wall shows a moment during the
Great Siege of 1779 – 83. In this scene, Lt Marshman has shown the 39th
Regt (Dorsetshire), whose crest is The Castle and the Key, super scribed
“ Gibraltar 1779 – 83” with the motto “Montis Insignia Calpe”. The Governor,
General Eliott, is in the top left-hand corner, surrounded by his staff officers.
Both these paintings were restored in 2001, by the late Professor Francisco
Fernandez Trujillo and his son Pablo under the
auspices of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust and
sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, the Gibraltar Government, the Friends of
the Gibraltar Heritage Society and The Gibraltar
Heritage Trust.
A Turkish lady Safiyya Khanim was shipwrecked
and drowned off Europa Point in 1848. A tablet
on the west wall of the Cloister has been
preserved in her honour, on instructions from the
Governor Major General Sir Robert Gardiner,
because t h e
location of her
grave near the
lighthouse was
lost.
An old bell outside the Governor’s office is
said to have been brought from the Governor’s
cottage, Europa in 1865 and some believe
it could have come from the Spanish manof-war “San Juan Nepomuceno”. Others
say it came from the old shrine of Our Lady
of Europa. Or could it be the King’s Chapel
bell removed by the then Governor who
said it disturbed his sleep? - the garrison
was called instead to pray by a drum beat.
15
The Governor’s Office
T
he office on the south side of the Cloister, has been the Governor’s
office for many years. During the Great Siege (1779/83) the Governor
used this area as his office and had the office of his second-in-command
reinforced. This is the second office leading west from HE’s office.
The Governor’s office today was probably also used for visiting VIPs during
the siege, including the admirals of any relief fleet. General Eliott had a
bunker constructed from one of the stables where he could get some sleep
during periods of heavy bombardment. This was not his only bunker. He also
had Poca Roca Cave prepared as a safe bombproof HQ close to the
northern defences and additionally had a command post south of the old
city, should it be required. The Governor’s office still displays 5 foot thick
walls which no doubt helped the building survive the damaging sieges.
There is a blow up of an old picture postcard of about 1905 showing the
Governor of Gibraltar and the Spanish Governor of the “Campo” of Gibraltar
marching together through Casemates Square, most probably for the
celebrations of the King’s birthday (possibly Edward VII) which were usually
held in the Victoria Gardens and race-course (now the airport).
Admiral Sir Derek Reffell (Governor1989-1993) presented a copy of this
photograph when he paid an official visit to Algeciras around 1990. The trip
was the first visit since the mounting of restrictions by Spain, prior to the
closure of the land frontier in 1969.
Duke of Kent Room
T
he room on the north side of the Cloister was originally the lower
western nave of the old Chapel.
This was converted into the Dining Room for HRH The Duke of Kent
about 1801. HRH found this room too cold. Subsequently, the upper
half was converted into the Ballroom thus making better use of the
height of this nave and at the same time making the lower half cosier.
16
This room is used mainly for church functions and charity work. It is a
useful annex to the King’s Chapel.
The Garden
T
he garden has several trees planted by visiting Royalty including King
Edward VII, Queen Alexandria, the Kaiser William II, The Duke of York
(later King George VI), Queen Elizabeth II, Charles Prince of Wales and
many members of the present Royal family, as well as the Crown Prince of
Italy (later King Umberto).
During the Governship of The Hon David Durie, two interesting additions
were made. The first on 4th August 2000 commemorates the centenary
birthday of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Wishing to mark this
extremely rare celebration in a special way, His Excellency asked to be
assisted in the planting of this tree by the children of Gibraltar. This was
admirably achieved by calling upon children who were between 6 and 11
years old, born on the same day as The Queen Mother, 4th August. A second
celebration tree was planted on 6th February 2002 by the Hon David Durie
on the fiftieth anniversary of the ascension to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II.
In the summer most of the Governor’s entertaining takes place in the beautiful
gardens.
The Queen’s Birthday Party is usually held here in June when hundreds of
guests meet to celebrate the Monarch’s birthday. These gardens always look
their best in May and June.
On the west centre of the garden stands a Dragon Tree ( Dracoena Draco)
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which was exaggeratedly referred to as a thousand years old. Experts
believe it was planted about 1480 AD. This coincides with the first settlement
of Franciscan friars after the expulsion of the Moors. This tree considered
the oldest tree in Gibraltar and certainly the oldest Dragon tree in Europe.
There are many interesting colourful flowers, trees and shrubs. Some are
exotic trees brought from South America, Australia and South Africa.
The garden was no doubt used by the friars centuries ago to produce fruit
and vegetables as well as flowers. Did the friars take over an even older
garden kept by the Arabs in the southern extremity of the old city some 800
years ago?
The King’s Chapel
T
he King’s Chapel adjoins the Convent and was originally part of the
Franciscan Convent. Don Francisco de Madrid, clerk of the City
Council, made a very generous donation to the friars to construct a larger
chapel and thus gained the right of burial within the Chapel for himself and
his family.
In 1528 work had commenced on the new Convent and is about 1533 the
larger Chapel was erected.
It was probably built in the shape of a cross if not originally, then at some
later date, but long before 1704. The right transept was later “lost” to be
absorbed by the Governor’s Palace. Half the nave or more, reaching
westwards, was also “re-provided” as accommodation for the Governor’s
Palace at the expense of the old chapel. The western half of the nave
became the ballroom and offices, after it had been the Dining Room (Duke
of Kent Room).
Part of the original pillars of the old western entrance can still be seen in the
garages of the Convent (old stables).
The old Franciscan Chapel still displays two large conch or shells over the
altar and east wall. This clearly indicates that the chapel was built under the
patronage of St James the Elder, Patron of Spain.
The elaborate and beautiful rosettes in the ceiling above the main altar were
re-done after the SS “Bedenham” explosion of 1951. The rest of the ceiling
(or what was left of it) was also re-made then and shows the tremendous
18
constraints on expenditure that must have occurred.
No one is sure when the Chapel was named King’s Chapel. It can be
assumed that this occurred between 1714 and 1727, after the death of
Queen Anne.
It was used as the main Garrison “English” Church until the Protestant
Church was completed in 1833. Although the intention was to keep this
chapel for sole use of the
Convent, the numerous
Protestants made it necessary to re-open the King’s
Chapel in 1843. The east
window was added in 1843,
the organ in 1877 and the roof
was renewed in 1888. Other
repairs were also carried out
in 1924, 1951 and 1997.
Above the choir hang colours
of some of the British
regiments that distinguished
themselves either in the
capture of Gibraltar (1704) or
in the 1704, 1727 or 1779/83
(Great Siege) sieges. Many
as a result bear “Gibraltar” or
the Castle and Key as their
battle honour. The very first
colours of the Royal Gibraltar
Regiment have now been laid
up in the Chapel (Gibraltar
Regiment colours of 29 May
1971).
Only two memorials have survived the Spanish period prior to 1704. The
oldest is a Spanish tombstone of 1609. The second oldest memorial
belongs to Dona Maria Ana de Moya, wife of General of Artillery of the
Kingdom Cordoba and Governor of Gibraltar. She was buried in the Chapel
on 27 October 1684. The rest of the memorials are British from 1713 to the
present day.
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General Sir Charles O’Hara, Governor of Gibraltar 1795-1802 is buried here.
A memorial to Lieutenant General Colin Campbell (Lieutenant Governor)
gives his date of death as 2 April 1814. The chapel also has a memorial
tablet to another Governor, Lieutenant General Sir Robert Boyd (1790 to
1794) who died on 13 May 1794. However, following his wish, he is buried
within King’s Bastion. Before becoming Governor he had been Lieutenant
Governor for 22 years, most of these under General Eliott. Boyd like Eliott,
was an engineer and King’s Bastion was built under his direction in 1777.
There is a most interesting tombstone of the time of the Peninsular War
which belongs to Lieutenant Langley of the Royal Engineers who died
defending Tarifa on 31 December 1811 against Napoleonic troops.
British troops from the Gibraltar garrison were stationed in Tarifa and Ceuta
for a number of years during the Peninsular War.
Fine pieces of silver are also held in this chapel. Communion plates
(3 pieces) from Queen Anne, the very first British Monarch of Gibraltar, are
the oldest hallmarked 1710-11.
In September 1997 extensive maintenance works were commenced inside
the old chapel. A major modernisation of the electrical installation of the
Convent and its chapel was carried out between 2001 and 2002.
Today the chapel is used both by Church of England and by Roman
Catholics. All the beautiful stained glass windows lost in 1951 have been
replaced with the existing attractive ones. Although now probably less than
half its original size it is still a very charming, peaceful chapel full of history.
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ANNEX 1
THE STORY OF THE CONVENT GHOST:
THE LADY IN GREY. 16th CENTURY
A
story has been handed down apparently for centuries about
two lovers who did not end up living happily ever after! There
are different versions so I offer here a composite tale.
About four hundred years ago a lovely and very young Spanish girl fell in
love with a youth of whom her family did not approve. She belonged to a
well to do family who lived not far from Gibraltar. (Gibraltar in the 16th
century was part of the newly created Spanish nation.)
The problem of this young lady’s challenging her parents wishes got so bad
that her elder brother forcibly brought her to Gibraltar and placed her in a
nuns Convent. Some say it was the Convent of Santa Clara in Main Street
by Bedlam Court, others that it was in Irish Town. One story calls her Alitea
de Lucerna and her lover Silvano; her elder brother being Humberto de
Lucerna.
The nuns’ Convent she joined was under the spiritual guidance and
discipline of the older Franciscan Convent (now the Governor’s Palace), of
friars.
But the lover would not give up so easily. As soon as he verified where her
family had hidden her, he joined the Franciscan Convent probably as an
apprentice. Alitea would probably visit the old Convent Chapel once a week
for confession and she must have received a pleasant surprise when she
saw Silvano in a monk’s habit. The story says they would speak in the
confession box and they plotted their escape. The Convent is built very close
to the ancient city walls and the sea lapped against the western face of those
walls. Their plan was to escape the Convent and the nunnery unseen, meet
by the city walls and somehow, avoiding sentries, go over the wall and south
towards the New Mole or Rosia Bay. Their plan almost worked. They had a
boat waiting in the area of Rosia Bay. Suddenly her brother Humberto comes
into the story again. Perhaps he lived in Gibraltar and he was told of his
21
sister’s escape from her convent. A chase followed in which her lover Silvano
lost his footing and fell into the sea.
Some say he was seen being dashed against the dangerous rocks as he
tried to reach the waiting boat. He drowned. Alitea was arrested in the name
of the church and was handed over to the Holy Inquisition for punishment.
She was sentenced to death.
Here is where the story gets a little complicated. The neatest is that she was
buried alive. This fulfilled the prophecy that she herself had uttered when
her brother forced her into the nunnery originally: “ We shall meet again”,
she said “ and when it happens the meeting will prove fatal to one of us”.
Some versions say they made a hole in the chapel wall then bricked her in.
A plate of bread and a glass of water were placed in the hole with her so no
one could be blamed for murdering her. Were it God’s will she would emerge
alive.
There seem to be no records during the Spanish period ending in 1713, of
a ghost. However stories of a ghost roaming the old Franciscan convent
started pretty early in the British period of Gibraltar.
By the early 1800s the story of the ghost in the Convent was well known.
A Major Richard Hort wrote about this in 1838.
Lady Luce’s niece saw her in 2000 and she was seen again in 2001 when
she interrupted a painter working in the west wing.
Two interesting details of the old tale, now some 300 years old at least, have
emerged. One is that she was always referred to as dressed in grey by
British raconteurs. Yet nuns were always in black as far as people knew. It
was not till after the Second World War that an expert confirmed nuns in the
15/16th century dressed in grey. The other unexplained mystery is that
children sometimes say she seems to be walking under or through the
floorboards, her feet are never visible. This was always considered as the
typical effect of nuns wearing their habits touching the ground so when they
walked they seemed to glide. However, here again those fond of researching
minutiae have discovered that the first floor of the Convent was raised a
couple of inches during one of the major refurbishments in the 19th century.
At least one female skeleton, with a cross, was found in the chapel itself,
about 100 years ago. However this is not surprising, as it was the custom to
22
bury nuns and abbesses within the chapel. The King’s Chapel was after all
the spiritual centre of other Franciscan convents in Gibraltar during the 15th,
16th, 17th and early 18th centuries.
But a female skeleton, even wearing a cross should not lead us to
conclusions that the person had been a nun. As already mentioned under
“King’s Chapel”, the wife of a Spanish Governor of Gibraltar was buried in
the chapel in October 1684. There could be many other devoted female
Catholics buried under the convent and its chapel.
The story of the “Grey Lady” or the “Lady in Grey” is presented as the best
known story of the Convent. Whether the reader believes it or not it is up to
each person. The ghost lovers will swear by it. The most cynical think it was
a Governor’s story to make sure his guests did not stay too long!
Pepe Rosado – February 2002
23
© The Convent
Researched & Edited by Pepe Rosado E.D.
Photography by Anselmo Torres AMPA
Graphic Design & Print Production by
FotoGrafiks Design Gibraltar
(Tel:+00350 20043125/58008924-email:fotograf@gibtelecom.net-www.fotografiksdesign.com)
Last update: 2012
24

The Convent | Office of the Governor

Transcription

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