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. Many of Perths citizens were made homeless and its buildings demolished to utilise the building materials including the hospital, a bridge, 300 tombstones from a cemetery, a school and 140 houses.

Only 10 years later in 1661 the Citadel was gifted back to Perth following the death of Cromwell at which point the town profited by demolishing the fortress and selling it off for building materials.