 |
Home
Acclaim for restoration work
|
|
|
|
|
Acclaim for restoration work
Location: North Yorkshire
The Stokesley society has been awarded an annual conservation award.
The society have carried out work over the last year on the Kent Gate and have now been picked out by the town's conservation advisory group as the best contribution to conservation over the last 12 months.
Sited behind the High Street post office, the wrought iron gate had been falling into disrepair over the last few years. Society members had long thought the restoration of both the stone pillars and the ironwork too daunting. However, last year they launched a restoration project and with the help of grant funders, work began.
Group chairman Hugh Charman said that the local blacksmith who carried out the work estimated the gate was made between 1730 and 1760, "that view was backed up by a national expert on ironwork who, from photographs put the date as the beginning of the eighteenth century" said Mr Charman.
"Society members feel privileged to have been able to save this unique feature of our local heritage for future generations to enjoy - we hope it survives another two and a half centuries! It was picked out on TV two years ago as an amazing gateway. John Grundy chose Stokesley High Street as his favourite because of the surprises it has in store. The gate was one of those - in its dilapidated condition - and still looked impressive. We now hope he will come back and see it in its newly restored glory".
The chairman also said that the group is now investigating the history of the gate and the area around it. Despite its name, there is no Kent House, although it could have been named after its designer, Bridlington born, William Kent, who was a famous architect and landscape designer of the time.
Most of his work was done in the south, but he did do some in Yorkshire. The gate was originally one of a pair, so members would like to know where it came from.
The gate is to be a major feature of a new town trail being prepared by the group with the funding.
Group Name |
|
The Stokesley Society |
|
|
|
|
