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Verne Citadel is a 19th-century
The citadel was designed with open gun emplacements on the north, east and west sides. As its defensive role came to an end, by 1903 the citadel had become an infantry barracks. During World War I and II, the Verne became the Headquarters of Coast Artillery. During World War II, a Chain Home Low Radar set was installed within the citadel, and the main magazine became a hospital. After the war, the last military use of the fort was by the Royal Engineers.
The citadel was turned into a prison in 1949, becoming a Category C prison for 575 adult males, serving medium-to-long term sentences. In 2013, the prison closed and became an immigration removal centre for 600 detainees awaiting deportation in 2014. The centre was transformed back into a prison in 2017–18.
The citadel, including the Verne High Angle Battery, is a scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. In recent years the Citadel has been listed on English Heritage's Risk Register.
Both the North and South Entrances, as well as the south west and south east casemates, are Grade II* Listed. The railings at the approach to the north entrance form part of the original construction at The Verne, and are Grade II Listed. The prison's reception centre is also Grade II Listed. In September 1978, five features of the citadel became Grade II Listed, including the prison's blacksmith's shop, the prison chapel, the officer's block B, the prison gymnasium, and the detached Governor's house.
The East Weare Battery, and the detention barracks of East Weare Camp (built circa 1880), both became Grade II Listed in May 1993. The Verne High Angle Battery was built in 1892, approximately 150 metres south of the citadel's southern entrance, as part of Britain's Coastal Defences. Decommissioned in 1906, it became Grade II Listed in May 1993 too.
Victorian Forts data sheet
Historic pictures of the Verne Citadel and the Army presence there
{{Isle of Portland 1847 establishments in England Buildings and structures in Dorset Palmerston Forts Isle of Portland Forts in Dorset
citadel
A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core.
In ...
on the Isle of Portland
An isle is an island, land surrounded by water. The term is very common in British English. However, there is no clear agreement on what makes an island an isle or its difference, so they are considered synonyms.
Isle may refer to:
Geography
* Is ...
, Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Located on the highest point of Portland, Verne Hill, it sits in a commanding position overlooking Portland Harbour
Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast of England. Construction of the harbour began in 1849; when completed in 1872, its surface area made it the largest man-made harbour in the world, and rema ...
, which it was built to defend. It later became HM Prison The Verne in 1949.
History
The citadel was built between 1857–81, as Portland Harbour's main defensive fortification.Official information board situated outside Southern Entrance of Verne Citadel Naturally inaccessible from the north and east, the south and west sides were protected with the digging of a large ditch. BothEast Weare Battery
East Weare Battery is a former 19th-century gun battery to the east of the Verne Citadel on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. The battery was built in the 1860s as a result of the Royal Commission to guard the new Portland harbour and Ro ...
and East Weare Camp
East Weare Camp is a former 19th-century detention barracks on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. It is located at East Weares, overlooking Portland Harbour and East Weare Battery. The camp became Grade II Listed in 1978. Both East Weare Ba ...
, located below the eastern side of the Verne, were considered part of the citadel's outworks.
The citadel was designed with open gun emplacements on the north, east and west sides. As its defensive role came to an end, by 1903 the citadel had become an infantry barracks. During World War I and II, the Verne became the Headquarters of Coast Artillery. During World War II, a Chain Home Low Radar set was installed within the citadel, and the main magazine became a hospital. After the war, the last military use of the fort was by the Royal Engineers.
The citadel was turned into a prison in 1949, becoming a Category C prison for 575 adult males, serving medium-to-long term sentences. In 2013, the prison closed and became an immigration removal centre for 600 detainees awaiting deportation in 2014. The centre was transformed back into a prison in 2017–18.
Grade listed features
The citadel, including the Verne High Angle Battery, is a scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. In recent years the Citadel has been listed on English Heritage's Risk Register.
Both the North and South Entrances, as well as the south west and south east casemates, are Grade II* Listed. The railings at the approach to the north entrance form part of the original construction at The Verne, and are Grade II Listed. The prison's reception centre is also Grade II Listed. In September 1978, five features of the citadel became Grade II Listed, including the prison's blacksmith's shop, the prison chapel, the officer's block B, the prison gymnasium, and the detached Governor's house.
The East Weare Battery, and the detention barracks of East Weare Camp (built circa 1880), both became Grade II Listed in May 1993. The Verne High Angle Battery was built in 1892, approximately 150 metres south of the citadel's southern entrance, as part of Britain's Coastal Defences. Decommissioned in 1906, it became Grade II Listed in May 1993 too.
References
Bibliography
*External links
*Victorian Forts data sheet
Historic pictures of the Verne Citadel and the Army presence there
{{Isle of Portland 1847 establishments in England Buildings and structures in Dorset Palmerston Forts Isle of Portland Forts in Dorset