Royal Citadel
Description
The Royal Citadel in Plymouth, Devon, was built in the late 1660s to the design of Sir Bernard de Gomme. It is at the eastern end of Plymouth Hoe overlooking Plymouth Sound, and encompasses the site of the earlier fort that had been built in the time of Sir Francis Drake.
During the Dutch Wars of 1664-67 King Charles II decided that it was necessary to realise the importance of Plymouth as a channel port. The original plan was to build a regular self-contained fort with five bastions, to the west of Drake's Fort, but this was revised to take in the earlier fort, resulting in the Citadel's irregular outline. Possibly due to Plymouth's support for the Parliamentarians in the Civil War its guns could also fire on the town.
The Citadel is built of local limestone, while the English Baroque gateway, designed by Sir Thomas Fitz, is of Portland stone. The gateway was originally approached by a drawbridge over a dry moat, but these were removed with all the other outworks in the 1880s. On the opposite bank to Fisher's Nose is the Queen Anne's Battery, dating from 1667.
The Royal Citadel was the most important English defence for over 100 years and was regularly strengthened over the years, particularly during the 1750s when it was equipped with 113 guns.
During the Second World War, the Citadel was used as the headquarters of the Coast Artillery Training Centre, Plymouth. After the war, the Coast Artillery School moved there from Great Orme. The Royal Citadel is still occupied by the military, being the base of 29 Commando Regiment of the Royal Artillery.