Historic artillery battery in Gibraltar’s Upper Rock Nature Reserve, overlooking Mediterranean.
Lord Airey’s Battery is an artillery battery in Gibraltar’s Upper Rock Nature Reserve, just north of O’Hara’s Battery. Built between 1890 and 1891 and named for Governor General Sir Richard Airey, it first mounted a 6‑inch breech loading gun, later replaced by a 9.2‑inch Mark X BL gun.
Lord Airey’s Battery is an artillery battery in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, forming part of the Fortifications of Gibraltar. It stands near the southern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, on O’Hara’s Road just north of O’Hara’s Battery, in the Upper Battery area that also includes Spur Battery. Construction started on 25 July 1890 and was completed by 1 March 1891. The position was named after General Sir Richard Airey, a former Governor of Gibraltar. The first armament was a 6‑inch breech loading gun on a Vavasseur centre‑pivot mounting. In October 1897 work began to prepare a position for a 9.2‑inch Mark X BL gun on a Mark V mounting, completed on 31 March 1900. The gun, at an elevation of 418 metres, was still being fired into the 1970s, and its large barrel remains visible at the site. The battery is owned by the Government of Gibraltar and is open to the public, and it is listed with the Gibraltar Heritage Trust. Immediately north lies Lord Airey’s Shelter, whose tunnel system was selected during the Second World War for the secret Operation Tracer, also known as Stay Behind Cave.
