Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Canterbury's walls and gates, originally built by the Romans during the 3rd century AD, were over 1,000 years old by the time of the Black Death, and they were in a bad condition. When war with France broke out in 1369, it became urgent to strengthen Canterbury's defences once again.

Monument Types

• GATE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

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Canterbury's walls and gates, originally built by the Romans during the 3rd century AD, were over 1,000 years old by the time of the Black Death, and they were in a bad condition. Over the centuries people had robbed stone from the walls and the ditches had become full of mud and rubbish. When war with France broke out in 1369, it became urgent to strengthen Canterbury's defences once again. The Westgate, the only survivng intact gateway, saw work begin on its rebuilding in 1380.

In the case of Canterbury's great ceremonial gate, of the West Gate the inspiration for its creation may have derived, in part, from the sense of revival and renewal of the city's benefactor, Archbishop Sudbury, but its building in the late 14th century from some time in the late 1370's owed much local taxation extracted at a time when fear of French invasion was strong.

It is not certain exactly how long it took to build the towers and gate, however records, dated 1401-1402, for payments for iron rings for the doors and payments to carpenters for making of two rooms of woodwork in the towers may perhaps indicate the finishing of the building work at this time.

The West Gate is situated approximately half way along the north-west stretch of the city wall, which runs alongside the river Great Stour. The present gate dates from about 1380 and is a rebuild of an earlier, probably Roman, gate which had over it the Church of the Holy Cross, which was resited within the city when the gate was rebuilt. The gate way, built of Ragstone from the Maidstone area and a considerable amount of local flint, consists of a pair of round, three storey, drum towers (which become popular form the 13th century onwards), flanking a centrally positioned gatehouse with a central gateway, which had a drawbridge and portcullis. The towers were topped with battlements and the gatehouse was topped with a machicolation. Around the base of the towers were heavy skirts which extended the drums into the river. Gun ports and gunloops were provided and the Westgate was one of the first buildings in Britain equiped with such for guns.

In 2011/12 an assessment was made of the condition of the stone work

Frere, SS, Stow, S, and Bennett, P, 1982, Excavations on the Roman and Medieval Defences of Canterbury. (Monograph). SKE28530.

Anderson, I., 1989, The Westgate Pavement (Article in serial). SKE30783.

Bennett, P., 1989, Westgate Chamber (Article in serial). SKE30782.

<1> Stonewest, 2013, Report on Stonework Condition & Remedial Treatment West Gate Towers Canterbury, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (Unpublished document). SKE52387.

Sources and further reading