Description

SY6973
969-1/3/175

PORTLAND
THE CITADEL, The Verne
(South side)
The Citadel, SW and SE Casemates

GV
II*

Military casemates. c 1860. Probably by Capt. W. Crossman, RE,
general designer of The Citadel. Rusticated Portland ashlar,
turf and grass roof. Two long and one shorter runs of
continuous casemates to the south-west and south-east edge of
the Citadel enclosure. The structure is backed by high earth
mounds, standing above the very deep surrounding ditches, so
that only one face is exposed; the short south casemate,
connecting the two longer units, lies immediately adjacent to
the South Entrance (qv). Continous high wall in rusticated
ashlar, with heavy weathered coping on deep moulding, carrying
square stacks to flat pyramidal cappings, above 3-course plain
band and a string with bold cavetto-mould immediately above
stepped voussoirs to main arches. Segmental arches carried to
broad responds, over a Diocletian window. Main opening has
bold projecting square porch with tall rectangular light to
face, and heavy door under transom-light on return. The porch
is flanked by a tall rectangular light each side; many of the
porches missing at time of survey (May 1991).The SW casemate
has, returning at right angles to the N, a length of plain
stepped walling to a heavy capping then 35 arches; the S run
has 10, and the SE has 17. On the splayed length of wall
connecting SW and S casemates is a large segmental opening
over a flight of stairs to heavy stone balustrades, flanked by
paired doors under fanlights in rusticated surrounds with
voussoirs set within segmental arches linked with the centre.
Each casemate has a deep, narrow compartment enclosed and
vaulted in Portland stone.
This remarkable run of structures enclosing the main central
area of The Citadel is vigorously detailed, and on a
charactersitically grand scale, lying above the very deep
surrounding Ditches, and modelling the landscape in views from
many parts of The Island.

Listing NGR: SY6933573503

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17554177

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)