Monument record MDO6577 - Verne Citadel, Portland

Verne Citadel, a coastal battery built between 1857-1881. It includes a casemated barracks, redoubt, open batteries and other buildings. It was given up as a defensive work in the 1900s. It was then reused as a heavy anti-aircraft battery during the First and Second World Wars. Now used as a prison. HMP The Verne occupies the southern part of the fortress.

Citadel, built between 1860-1881. It includes a casemated barracks, redoubt, open batteries and other buildings. It was given up as a defensive work in the 1900s. Now used as a prison. HMP The Verne occupies the southern part of the fortress. Scheduled.

The Verne Fort or Citadel, enclosing an area of about 56 acres, was built to guard Portland Roads and Weymouth
Harbour in 1860-7. Work was in progress until at least 1881. The ditches of great depth and width up to 70 ft deep
and 120 ft wide were due to quarried stone being required for the formation of Portland Harbour breakwater. Bomb
proof barracks were built under the southern earth rampart, the north and east flanks were barred by 'unscaleable'
cliffs, and earthen open batteries were built on three sides of the area.

The Verne was given up as a defensive work in the 1900s but remained in military hands for many years until taken
over by the Prison Commissioners. Verne Citadel Scheduled. (4). Only the casemated barracks and the extent of
fortifications, including redoubt to the south, included in scheduling.
Interior in active prison use. (5). (see plan). (2 - 5)

Governor's House SY 67 SE 2/124 II GV 2. 1870s. By Col. C. E. Cox R.E. Very exposed position at top of cliff near south-east sally port. Irregular plan. Two storeys, Portland stone ground floor rusticated with plinth and plat bands. Bracketed eaves cornice to slate roof. Two and 3 windows to south, right hand bays slightly set back and lower with entrance to left. Windows arched on ground floor with rusticated surrounds, lintels and raised surrounds 1st floor, right hand bays with segmental headed gables over. Upper sashes have glazing bars. External chimney to north with heavy coved capping and panelled upper part. Three light bay window to east Inside wide hall with large staircase. Moulded reveals to ground floor windows, rear arches in kitchen, roller type shutters in south-east room. Moulded architrave's with corner roundels, panelled door with beaded insertions. Vent shafts with hand-handles. Ventilation duct emerges in garden to south of south-east sally port.

Four bridges over former Merchant's Tramway south of the Verne's SY 67 SE 2/150 south entrance II 2. Circa 1880. Four tall single span bridges of large ashlar masonry (Portland Roach stone) with rusticated voussoirs (one dated 1882). Low coped parapet. They bridge 2 branches off the Castletown piers from quarries. The impressive nature of the masonry is best appreciated from a point below the most northerly bridge.

The Citadel: Block House to south of North Gate SY 67 SE 2/147 II GV 2. 1870s. Former Sergeant's Quarters. Single storey Portland stone building with one window, glazing bar sashes to east and 2 lower projecting bays to north with door and 2 window return. Modillion block eaves cornice. Slate roof with a large chimney.

The Citadel: Gymnasium SY 67 SE 2/149 II GV 2. Circa 1860s-1870s. Wide gabled building with a good deal of rustication. Built of Portland stone. East gable has 3 arches above entrance, centre pillar, and low chimney on coped apex. Arched doorway below and 2 flanking pairs of sashes. Return to south as 3+2+2 windows separated by buttresses, and central tail rusticated wall chimney with block modillion capping.

The Citadel: SY 67 SE 2/148 North Gate Gatehouse II GV 2. 1870s. Former 'Office'. Low single storey Portland stone building. Modillion block eaves cornice. Slate hipped roof. Central door and flanking windows, barred.

The Citadel: SY 67 SW 2/143 II GV 2. Circa 1870. Flanked by blast bunkers. 'H' plan 2 storeys. Coursed Portland stone with Roach stone rustication. Plinth, rusticated quoins, rusticated ground floor, band to 1st floor, modillion cornice and blocking course. Tall chimneys with modillion block capping. 2+2+1+2+2 windows, arch headed sashes in rusticated surrounds. Projecting central porch with arched entrance and blocking course. Three window returns. Central 2 storey break to rear.

The Citadel: The Chapel SY 67 SE 2/144 II GV 2. Circa 1870s. Former Officers' Mess. U-plan. Tall single storey building of Portland stone with Roach stone rustication. Plinth. Rustic quoins. Ground floor rusticated to window heads. 2+3 window flanking entrance with blind arched voussoirs linked by import band. Modillion cornice and blocking course. Three chimneys with overlapped capping. Large rectangular porch, 2 arches to south and one to each side, central segmental headed entrance. Interior: East end screen: an arcade on 3 double columns.

The Citadel: Blacksmith's Shop SY 67 SE 2/145 II GV 2. Racquet Court before 1879. Two storey Portland stone building, gable end to north rusticated. Side elevation divided into 7 by pier strips with central 1st floor opening. Gable end has 3 arches on ground floor with occuli over and a very large chimney with modillion block cornice above. (6)

Verne Citadel was recorded from aerial photographs of 1946 and 1950, showing its use during the Second World War. The surrounded earthern and stone defences and buildings which have now been removed, or built over by the later prison buildings, were digitally mapped during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset). The aerial photographs also show trackways connecting up the buildings and an area of what appears to be drainage. (9-12)

Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0013730 (Digital archive). SWX5.

Dobinson, C S, 1996, Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 1. Anti-aircraft artillery: England's air defence gunsites, 1914-46, 286 (Monograph). SDO11874.

Dobinson, C S, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume 6.1. Coast Artillery, 1900-1956, 176-181 (Monograph). SDO17228.

Dobinson, C S, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume 6.2. Coast artillery, 1900-1956, 272 (Monograph). SDO17229.

Anderton, M J, 2000, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two Coastal Batteries, 69 (Unpublished document). SDO17230.

Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0013730 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0013730 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

Hunnisett, C, and Davis, R, 2012, Stabilisation of Embankments & Tunnel, HMP The Verne, Portland, Dorset. Heritage Statement (Unpublished document). SDO14977.

Brennan, N, 2013, HMP The Verne, Portland, Dorset: Archaeological Watching Brief (Unpublished document). SDO17024.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1978, Annotated Record Map OS 1:10000 1978 (Map). SWX2131.

The Verne (NAT)

<2> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 343 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<3> Hogg, Ian V, 1974, Coast defences of England and Wales, 1856-1956, p229-30 (Monograph). SWX1958.

<4> DOE, 1978, Scheduled Monument Notification DOE (IAM) AMs Eng 2 1978 82 (Scheduling record). SWX2134.

<5> DOE, 1972, Scheduled Monument Notification DOE (IAM) Record Form 24.04.72 (Scheduling record). SWX2135.

<6> Department of the Environment, 21 Sept 1978, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Weymouth and Portland amendment 1978, pgs 30-33 (Scheduling record). SWX2136.

<7> Longmate N, 1993, Island Fortress. The Defence of Great Britain 1603-1945, p334 (Monograph). SWX2137.

<8> Commissioners of Prisons, 1949, Report of the Commissioners of Prisons 1949. for 1948, p66 (Monograph). SWX2138.

<9> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 1408-09 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13046.

<10> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 1409-10 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13060.

<11> Royal Air Force, 12-OCT-1950, SY 6873/8 541/T/52 PSFO-0004 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13047.

<12> Royal Air Force, 12-OCT-1950, SY 6973/23 541/T/52 PSFO-0013 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13048.

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 451838 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 11 2025 4:29PM