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Plymouth; The Royal Citadel
In the civil parish of Plymouth.
In the historic county of Devon (Modern Authority of Plymouth; City of, 1974 county of Devon).
Late C16 artillery fort, superseded by and partially incorporated into a mid C17 bastioned artillery defence, called the Citadel, with associated outworks. The artillery fort was constructed between 1592-1598 to a perceived threat of attack by sea from the Spanish. The fort contained the captain's lodgings, barracks, a storehouse, stables, guardhouse, powderhouse and the medieval Chapel of St Katherine on the Hoe. Parts of the fort have been revealed by partial excavation. The late C16 artillery fort was partially incorporated into the mid C17 Citadel. Although much of the walling around the main area of the earlier fort was demolished as the Citadel was constructed, the lower fort, was retained. The Citadel was constructed between 1665-1675 in response to another perceived threat of war, this time with the Dutch. Designed by Sir Bernard de Gomme, it was constructed as a six bastioned walled fortification. Within the Citadel fortifications, several buildings survive from the original C17 internal layout, or incorporate C17 features. These include the guardhouse, the Great Store and the Governor's and Lieutenant-Governor's House. The outworks of the Citadel include the lower fort, the north ravelin within the ditch, the ditch counterscarp, the covered way with the two place d'armes and the glacis. The Citadel was refurbished during the 1890s-1900s by the architect T Kitsel. During World War II the Citadel housed the Coast Artillery Training Centre.
This site has been described as a;
Artillery Fort.
The confidence
that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.
This site is a scheduled
monument protected by law.
This site is a
Grade 2* listed
building protected by law*. (Images
of England number )
The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX48015382
PastScape number;
437576 etc
Books
- Duffy, Michael, 1999, 'Coastal Defences and Garrisons 1480-1914' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p158-60
Saunders, Andrew, 1997, Channel Defences (London; Batsford/English Heritage)
Pye, Andrew and Woodward, Freddy, 1996, The historic defences of Plymouth (Exeter: Exeter Archaeology Fortress Study Group South West) p131-135
Saunders, A., 1989, Fortress Britain: Artillery fortification in the British Isles and Ireland, Beaufort, Hampshire
Hoskins, W G., 1954, A new survey of England: Devon p458
Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1952, Buildings of England: South Devon p233
Journal Articles
- Woodward, F.W.,1984, ‘The Royal Citadel, Plymouth' Devon Archaeology Vol2 p9-12
Brent, F., 1883, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol39 p329
Guidebooks
- Woodward, F.W., 1990, Plymouth's Defences (Devon)
Woodward, F.W., 1987, Citadel: the story of the Royal Citadel, Plymouth (Exeter: Devon Books)
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
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to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant |
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*The listed building
may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site
of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.
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