Winchester Cathedral’s Grade I listed Prior’s Gate will be closed from 8.30am on 19 February until at least 5pm on 20 February while the restored gates are reinstalled after six months of extensive conservation.
The oak gates were removed in August last year and taken to Owlsworth Conservation specialist workshop. There they have been conserved in line with the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act.
Before the project began, the gates were thought to date from the 15th Century. During the conservation project dendrochronology of the gates was undertaken and they have now been accurately dated to 1620–1650, in line with the period of the English Civil War (1642-1651).
Just as the Cathedral west window was destroyed during the Civil War, it may be that previous Priors’ Gates were destroyed during the war and the gates we see today replaced them. We don’t know for sure, but the story continues.
Jon Ryan, Winchester Cathedral Director of Works, said: “I’d like to thank all those involved in facilitating this project but especially the incredible skill and knowledge of the carpenter joiners who have kept a steady hand when undertaking the work. Whilst the work has been temporarily disruptive, it is satisfying to think the work we do now will allow these gates to live on.”
Alfred Homes sponsored temporary gates at the Prior’s Gate entrance to the Inner Close and supplied and installed bespoke coverings that cover the 600 years of the history of the gates.
Kelly Hindley, Sales Manager for Alfred Homes, said: “We were proud to support the Cathedral on this project and pleased that our temporary gates gave visitors a chance to discover the rich history behind the magnificent originals.”
Winchester Cathedral would also like to thank the cathedral architect at Purcell and archaeologist TJC Heritage for their work on this project, and the estates and operations teams that have overseen the careful return of Priors Gate.