In 1651, during the English civil war, Oliver Cromwell captured and occupied Perth in Scotland. Quickly after, he built this Citadel to maintain control of the town and its surrounding countryside. Cromwells armies destroyed many of Perths buildings to construct the Citadel and utilse their building materials.
This included Perths hospital, a bridge, 300 cemetery tombstones, a school and 140 homes which resulted in those tenants becoming homeless.

Ten years later following the death of Cromwell in 1661, the newly re-instated King Charles II gifted back the Citadel to the town as a good will gesture. However, after discovering the town were profiting from the sale of the Citadel, the Royal exchequer then decided to claim back some of those profits for themselves and ordered the town to pay back what they considered the Citadels nominal value.