The Citadel was designed by Capt. Crossman R.E and built by convicts from Portland Prison between 1860 and 1872. It was a 50 acre fortress for a 1000 troops with gun emplacements facing seawards on 3 sides.
From 1903 the Citadel was used as an infantry barracks and the guns were removed in 1906.
On the 1st February 1949 The Verne was handed over to the then prison Commission and still remains a prison today for medium and long term prisoners.
