The Chain Gate in Wells,

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

, England, is an entrance gateway adjacent to the north side of

Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral, formally the , is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Bath and Wells and the mother church of the diocese of Bath and Wells. There are daily Church of England services in ...

, controlling access from St Andrew Street to the Cathedral Green within the Liberty of St Andrew. It is a Grade I

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

. It was built around 1460 to link the cathedral to Vicars' Close.

History

The Chain Gate was built around 1460 for Bishop Thomas Beckington, to provide easy access to and from the cathedral and Vicars' Close which had been built for the Vicars Choral. The Chain Gate enabled the vicars to enter the cathedral for services or meetings in the chapter house without entering the public realm or cope with inclement weather. An undated sketch by Henry Edridge (1768–1821) shows the Chain Gate in the late 18th or early 19th century, with a much taller wall than exists today alongside the road approaching the gate.

Architecture

The Chain Gate is a two-storey building of Doulting stone ashlar with a Welsh slate roof. The lower level comprises a wagon gate flanked on both sides by pedestrian gates. The upper level provides a passageway between the Chapter House of the

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

and Vicars' Close. It is supported by three arches, one for carts (now cars) and two for pedestrians. There is a slight bend within the passageway as the entrance to the cathedral, via the approach staircase past the Chapter House, and that in Vicars Hall were not exactly opposite each other. It is topped by a

battlement A battlement, in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals ...

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an upward extension of a wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/brea ...

. In the walls are niches with statues of saints. It also shows the

arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

of Bishop Beckington on a shield.

References

{{reflist Buildings and structures completed in 1460 Grade I listed buildings in Mendip District History of Somerset Buildings and structures in Wells, Somerset Wells Cathedral