Survey Data
Reg No
41306020
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic
Previous Name
Fairfield
Original Use
Gates/railings/walls
Date
1830 - 1850
Coordinates
263481, 318703
Date Recorded
01/10/2011
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Quadrant gateway to Fair Field demesne, erected c.1840. House now demolished. Gateway comprising double-leaf cast-iron gate with fleur-de-lys and bud finials, with supporting collars, wrought-iron latch mechanism, and mounted on channelled ashlar sandstone piers with moulded plinths, cut-stone imposts, and surmounted by squat stepped caps. Gate hinges concealed behind rebates with bookend scroll details. Piers flanked by curved coursed limestone walls with ashlar copings, and with outer piers of similar form to inner. Set at roadside at northern entrance to former demesne, with gate lodge immediately to south.
Appraisal
This fine gateway survives in excellent condition, a testament to the grandeur with which the ancillary structures of country houses were executed. The intricate masonry skills and the use of enduring sandstone reflect the longevity for which this gateway was intended and its survival is significant in the context of the demolished demesne house. The perhaps more rudimentary rubble stone walls flanking the gates add a degree of antiquity to the entrance, giving the overall impression of an established and impressive dwelling beyond.