Ragged Staff Cave facts for kids

Ragged Staff Cave is a natural cave located right next to the harbour in Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a small British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of Spain. In 1901, this cave was changed and became known as the Ragged Staff Magazine.

Discovering the Cave

This cave was found in the 1800s. Workers were digging tunnels inside the Rock of Gibraltar when they came across it. Unlike some caves higher up, like St. Michael's Cave, Ragged Staff Cave has fewer natural rock formations.

From Cave to Magazine

In 1901, the Admiralty, which was the part of the British government in charge of the Royal Navy, decided to use the cave. They wanted to turn it into a "magazine." A magazine is a safe place to store explosives or ammunition.

To make it ready, they lined the entrance with bricks. This was because the ground around the cave was made of soft red sand. It took four years to finish building the magazine inside the cave.

By the time the First World War started, there were sixteen storage areas ready to use. These were connected by two main tunnels. These tunnels also linked directly to HM Dockyard, Gibraltar, which was the naval base.

A Close Call in World War II

Ragged Staff Magazine almost had a huge explosion during World War II. In 1943, a man named José Martín Muñoz caused a fire at a fuel tank nearby. He was suspected of being a spy.

In August 1943, he was caught trying to put a bomb inside this very magazine. At the time, the magazine was completely full of explosives. Muñoz was later executed in January 1944 for his actions.

What's in a Name?

People often wonder where the name "Ragged Staff" comes from. It's also used for the nearby Ragged Staff Gates. One idea is that it comes from an old legend.

The story is about a legendary Earl of Warwick named Morvidus. He supposedly fought and defeated a giant using a tree he pulled out of the ground. This "ragged staff" became his symbol. However, there's no clear agreement on whether this is the true origin of the name.

Unique Features

Ragged Staff Cave is special because it's at sea level. This means it has parts that are underwater. It also contains lakes with brackish water, which is a mix of fresh and salt water.

Gallery

• 

  Entrance tunnel

• 

  Internal tunnel

• 

  One of the magazines

• 

  Another magazine