The Royal Citadel on Plymouth Hoe incorporates part of Sir Francis Drake’s former fort. It is the most complete surviving 17th-century fortification in the U.K. It was built in 1665 to thwart the perceived threat of a Dutch invasion. It is regularly strengthened and still used by the military today.
The foundation stone was laid on July 18, 1666 by Lord Bath and took several years to complete due to its staggering size. The walls were over 70 feet high and nearly as thick in some places. It was built in the Baroque style from the local limestone.
King Charles the Second realised Plymouth’s military significance, and so he commissioned the build. The chief engineer was Sir Bernard de Gomme. In the southeast corner is Fishers Nose Blockhouse, built on the former site between 1490 and 1540, and in the opposite corner is Queen Anne’s battery, dating from 1663.
In the 1750s, as many as 113 cannons were positioned here after the Dutch Wars of 1664-1667, and when William of Orange landed here in 1688, the Royal Citadel was the first fort in England to declare its support.
During the English Civil War, the local Plymothians had pledged their allegiance to Parliament, but following a visit to the town by Charles the Second in 1671, "fires were lit in the King’s honour." When guns were placed in the Citadel, some did, however, face the town as a reminder to the turncoat population of their misplaced sympathies.
Only a few old cannons now remain, but the scale of the Citadel is breathtaking. It is as complete as any fortification anywhere in the world and must’ve presented incoming sailors with either fear or happiness, depending upon their loyalties. There also remains a fortified tower across the water from the Citadel that is clearly visible.
You can visit the inside of the Citadel by guided tour only between May and September, Tuesdays only at 2:30pm. Entrance price is £3 for adults.