| The Convent | |
|---|---|
 The Convent withKing's Chapel on the right | |
 Interactive map of the The Convent area | |
| Former names | Convent of Franciscan Friars; Gibraltar Palace |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Early Georgian with later Victorian features being introduced |
| Location | Main Street, Gibraltar |
| Coordinates | 36°08′14″N5°21′13″W / 36.137115°N 5.353526°W /36.137115; -5.353526 |
| Current tenants | Governor of Gibraltar |
| Completed | 19th century |
| Owner | UK Ministry of Defence |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
The Convent has been the official residence of thegovernor of Gibraltar since 1728.[1] It was originally aconvent ofFranciscanfriars, hence its name, and was built in 1531,[1] and heavily rebuilt during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The dining room at the Convent has the most extensive display ofheraldry in theCommonwealth of Nations.[2]
Franciscan friars arrived in Gibraltar during the reign ofCharles I of Spain. They were granted a plot of land in the area known at the time asLa Turba where the poorer people of Gibraltar lived. A church and afriary were built in 1531.[3] The entrance was at the back (what is now Governor's Lane). It stretched up to the area that is occupied today by theJohn Mackintosh Hall.[4]
After thecapture of Gibraltar by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in the name of theArchduke Charles, the Franciscan friars did not follow theexodus of the Spanish population and remained in Gibraltar, at least for some years (their presence was recorded in 1712).[5] The Franciscan friary was later taken over as the residence of the British governors in 1728 and has remained so ever since.
The building was heavily rebuilt during the 18th and 19th centuries in theGeorgian style withVictorian elements.
In 1903 Gibraltar received its first visit from a British Monarch whenEdward VII arrived to name the new No. 3 Dock ofGibraltar Harbour after himself. He received complaints that as head of theChurch of England he should visit aCatholic institution likeThe Convent. The King requested that the building should be calledGovernment House.[6] The new dry docks attractedQueen Alexandra inHMYVictoria and Albert in 1906 and the Prince and Princess of Wales the following year to name dock number two and then one after themselves.[6]
The Convent is situated towards the southern end ofMain Street. A guard mount takes place at the main entrance a few days a week conducted by soldiers of theRoyal Gibraltar Regiment. TheChanging of the Guard is also conducted outside the Convent a few times a year.
The garrison church adjacent to the Convent, part of the original Franciscan complex,[7] was renamed Queen's Chapel duringQueen Victoria's reign,[1] butQueen Elizabeth II restored it back to its original title. Inside the chapel, beneath the colours of several British regiments, lie the remains of the wife of the Spanish governor of 1648,[citation needed] together with those of two British governors:GeneralCharles O'Hara andLieutenant-GeneralColin Campbell, who were laid to rest in 1802 and 1814, respectively.[citation needed]
The convent is supposedlyhaunted by the ghost of anun, known as "Lady in Grey"[2][9] who is said to roam the corridor outside one of the guest rooms. It is said that she considers it to beher room, as she waswalled up alive in it.[10]
There are various versions of the "Grey Lady" story,[11] the most popular being that she was the daughter of an affluent Spanish family who had married against her father's wishes. When he learnt of it, he placed her in the "Convent of Santa Clara" situated in the Main Street, where under the eyes of the Mother Superior, the girl was forced to take her vows and become a nun. Her lover was not discouraged; he joined the Franciscan Order and settled in the Convent. The couple are said to have met in theconfessional of the King's Chapel where they hatched plans for their escape.[2]
On the night of their escape they made their way to the harbour where a boat was waiting for them. However, the alarm was raised and in the ensuing chase the lover fell into the water and drowned. The bride was arrested for breaking her vows and as punishment was walled up alive in one of the rooms in the Convent.[2]
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