Verne Citadel

Built on the highest point of Portland, the Verne is surrounded by cliffs and a moat, with two entrances — one via a footbridge and one via this tunnel.

Verne Citadel is a Victorian citadel on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. Located on the highest point of Portland, Verne Hill, it sits in a commanding position overlooking Portland Harbour, which it was built to defend. The Verne stands 500 ft high. It later became HM Prison The Verne in 1949.

History

The citadel was built using convict labour from HM Prison Portland, and contractors, between 1857 and 1881.[1][2][3] With the construction of the two original breakwaters of Portland Harbour, Verne Hill was chosen for the harbour's main defensive fortification. Naturally inaccessible from the north and east, the south and west sides were protected with the digging of a large ditch.[4] Other defences in the area included the Nothe Fort at Weymouth,[5] the Portland Breakwater Fort on the outer breakwater, and the Inner Pierhead Fort on the inner breakwater.[6][7] The East Weare Battery below the eastern side of the Verne was considered part of the citadel's outworks.[8]

The moat

The 56-acre Verne Citadel was designed as a siege fortress, and could originally accommodate 500 troops, but later this was increased to 1000.[1] The citadel had open gun emplacements on the north, east and west sides.[2] The citadel's defensive role largely came to an end in the 1900s, and by 1903 the citadel's role was as an infantry barracks, with the guns removed in 1906.[3] During World War I and II, the Verne became the Headquarters of Coast Artillery.[1] After 1937 the citadel's role had turned to use as an infantry training centre.[2] A Chain Home Low Radar set was installed within the citadel, and the main magazine became a hospital.[9] After the war, the last military use of the fort was by the Royal Engineers.[2]

The southern part of the citadel became a prison in 1949. Since becoming established the interior of the citadel has been substantially rebuilt by prison labour. The prison itself, a Category C prison for 575 adult males, gained a considerable training programme for prisoners serving medium-to-long term sentences, including life sentences.[2] Allowing a form of public access for the first time, in November 2011, the prison service opened a cafe in an old officer's mess building. The Jailhouse Cafe continues to operate to date, offering experience to prisoners of HM Prison Portland in attempts to reduce reoffending.[10] On 4 September 2013, the Ministry of Justice announced the prison would become an immigration removal centre for 600 detainees awaiting deportation.[11] The prison closed in November 2013, and the immigration removal centre opened in February 2014.

Grade listed features

The battery at the southern entrance of the Verne

Various features of the Citadel have since become Grade Listed, and the entire fortress itself has become a scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This includes the Verne High Angle Battery too.[12] In recent years the Citadel has been listed on English Heritage's Risk Register, with the condition being described as "generally satisfactory but with significant localised problems". The main vulnerability aspect of the site is deterioration, and being in need of management, although it has been noted that the overall condition is continuing to improve.[13]

Both the North and South Entrances, as well as the south west and south east casemates, are Grade II* Listed.[14][15][16] The railings at the approach to the north entrance form part of the original construction at The Verne, and are Grade II Listed.[17] The prison's reception centre also became Grade II Listed. In September 1978, five features of the citadel became Grade II Listed, including the prison's blacksmith's shop,[18] the prison chapel,[19] the officer's block B,[20] the prison gymnasium,[21] and the detached Governor's house.[22]

The East Weare Battery, and the detention barracks of East Weare Camp (built circa 1880), both became Grade II Listed in May 1993.[23][24] 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.[25]

References

  1. 1 2 3 http://www.victorianforts.co.uk/pdf/datasheets/vernecitadel.pdf
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Official information board situated outside Southern Entrance of Verne Citadel
  3. 1 2 Historic England. "Monument No. 451838". PastScape. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  4. Super User. "The Jurassic Coast - The Verne". jurassicagent.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  5. Super User. "The Jurassic Coast - The Nothe Fort". jurassicagent.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  6. Super User. "The Jurassic Coast - Breakwater Fort". jurassicagent.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  7. Historic England. "Monument No. 1425459". PastScape. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  8. http://www.victorianforts.co.uk/pdf/datasheets/eastweare.pdf
  9. Historic England. "Monument No. 1478294". PastScape. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  10. "About". Jailhouse Cafe. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  11. Danny Shaw (4 September 2013). "BBC News - Prisons to close in England as super-prison site revealed". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  12. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1002411)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  13. "English Heritage | English Heritage". Risk.english-heritage.org.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  14. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1203116)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  15. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1206120)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  16. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1203117)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  17. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1206113)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  18. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280366)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  19. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280372)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  20. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1203118)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  21. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280377)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  22. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1281832)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  23. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1281863)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  24. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1205814)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  25. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1281857)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 September 2015.

External links

Coordinates: 50°33′44″N 2°26′09″W / 50.5622°N 2.4357°W / 50.5622; -2.4357

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