Westgate, Winchester
The Westgate is one of two surviving fortified gateways in Winchester, England (the other is Kingsgate). The earliest surviving fabric is of Anglo-Saxon character. The gate was rebuilt in the 12th century and modified in the 13th and late 14th centuries, the latter including a portcullis in the western façade and two inverted-keyhole gunports (for use with hand-held cannon), the earliest in the country. The gate was in use until 1959 when the High Street was routed around it.
| Westgate, Winchester | |
|---|---|
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| Location | High Street, Winchester, Hampshire |
| Coordinates | 51°03′49″N 1°19′09″W |
| OS grid reference | SU 47812 29576 |
| Governing body | Hampshire Cultural Trust |
| Owner | Winchester City Council |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Official name | The Westgate, Winchester |
| Designated | 24 March 1950 |
| Reference no. | 1350695 |
  Location of Westgate, Winchester in Central Winchester | |
In the 19th century the City Corporation (now Winchester City Council) acquired the Westgate and began to use it as a museum and repository for the City archives. In 2014, ownership of the museum space was transferred to Hampshire Cultural Trust.[1] Today, the Westgate Museum's displays include a famous collection of pre-Imperial weights and measures, and a fine painted ceiling made for Winchester College in anticipation of a visit by Mary Tudor and Philip of Spain on the occasion of their marriage in Winchester in 1554.
References
- Pevsner, N. Hampshire: Winchester & the North (2010) ISBN 978-0-300-12084-4 (with Michael Bullen, John Crook and Rodney Hubbuck) (Buildings of England series)
External links
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