Royal Citadel Guardhouse

The Royal Citadel Guardhouse in Plymouth is a military building constructed between 1667 and 1675 by the Ordnance Board and completely rebuilt around 1745. It features a rendered exterior, likely built on a rubble base, with dry slate hipped roofs. The guardhouse has a rectangular plan and includes a full-width open verandah at the front. It stands two storeys tall and has a three-window range with an irregular arrangement of openings, with the doorway located towards the left. The verandah is supported by a five-bay Doric colonnade, and there is a flight of steps leading up to the first floor at the rear. The interior has not been inspected. Historically, the guardhouse appears in a 1717 print with a steeper roof and without the verandah. The exterior staircase at the rear has been rebuilt in the same position as the original 17th-century staircase. Despite alterations, this building is a rare example of an important type of military architecture, associated with the notable 17th-century fort designed by Sir Bernard de Gomme.