Kingsgate is one of two surviving medieval gates to the city of
Winchester, England (the other is the
Westgate). The name was first recorded in 1148. The gate is on, or near, the site of one of the Roman gates to the city, and was the entrance to the royal palace before the
Cathedral Close was enclosed in the 10th century. The present gate is probably 14th century, with 18th-century pedestrian walkways.
Above the gate is the small church of
St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate. St Swithun was built in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
in the
Early English style
English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed ar ...
, and is unusual in forming a part of the fabric of the old
city walls. It first appears in thirteenth century records and achieved some literary fame, under the fictional name of St Cuthbert's, in
Anthony Trollope's novel ''
The Warden''.
[Official St Swithun's Church Leaflet]
Kingsgate is a
scheduled monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.
The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...
(St Swithun's Church is a Grade I
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
).
References
* Pevsner, N. ''Hampshire: Winchester & the North'' (2010) (with Michael Bullen, John Crook and Rodney Hubbuck) (
Buildings of England
The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of guide books to the architecture of Great Britain and Ireland. Begun in the 1940s by the art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the 46 volumes of the original Buildings of England series were publish ...
series)
Notes
External links
{{Commonscat
Scheduled monuments in Hampshire
Town Gates in England
Buildings and structures in Winchester