When out exploring…… I love finding the un-expected, which in this case was a brick gateway. We were visiting St Giles Church in Chesterton, Warwickshire on a beautiful sunny day last summer 2013 and as I wandered around to the other side of the church I came across this gateway.
I have a fascination for gateways standing on their own and I have posted several gateways that I have come across, but I think this is really is quite amazing. It is the only remains of a great house, Chesterton House which was demolished in 1802 and would have stood in the trees beyond the gate. I think this would have been the gateway to the church and on the wall there is a brass notice telling us it was designed by Inigo Jones C.1632. This is possible, because nearby is Chesterton Windmill designed by Inigo Jones or his apprentice.
Echoes of the Past 
How truly lovely!! What a delightful find. I love these relics that you come across. Now a gateway for Very Important Cows (or Sheep, I guess!) 🙂
I am spring cleaning at the moment, going through the 1000’s of photos from last year, I am having a great time, finding little bits that I had forgotten about, taken on the off chance…….although I still have a lot of churches and castles etc to post…….but I love these little bits of history that are scattered about all over the UK. Funnily there were wedding guests beyond the gate, there was a big marquee for a wedding that had taken place in the church the day before, but it was spread over 2 days, one of the bridal pair belonged to the family who had owned Chesterton house, they still own all the land. The church did look lovely, I going to post it soon, now I have found it 🙂
I have quite a few photos like that – oddments that I don’t know much about, but that are either quaint or unusual. I found an inscription on a stone archway in the Borders a few months back, and I’m still trying to decipher it, on and off! It’s an absorbing interest! 🙂
That sounds interesting and you are quite right it is absorbing….too absorbing sometimes 🙂