The Citadel, North Entrance

PORTLAND

SY6873 THE CITADEL, The Verne 969-1/3/172 (South side) The Citadel, North Entrance

GV II*

Entrance to former military citadel, now prison. Dated 1880, possibly from the office of Capt. E Crossman, RE, general designer of The Citadel. Portland ashlar. Bold elliptical moulded arch set between broad plain abutments with plinth and small recessed gun slit, and under heavy attic course on roll-moulding; return each side to main retaining and abutment walls of The Citadel. Above the crown of the arch a high relief carved Royal Arms. Inner order of moulded arch on responds and with pair of iron gates and side railings opens to barrel-vaulted section with 3 cross ribs, then lower segmental moulded arch with square head and spandrels with VR 1880 beneath 4 recessed vertical gun slits. This gives to long barrel-vaulted tunnel through which the road climbs to the inner arch which is semi-circular with heavily rusticated quoins and voussoirs set in rock-faced squared stone under heavy roll-mould parapet; from the E side a long flight of plain stone steps between ashlar walls to weathered copings descends to roadway from main Citadel level.

Listing NGR: SY6906273874