3-008-650 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The International Exhibition: the Norwich Gates, by Barnard, Bishop, and Barnard, 1862. 'The work consists of four massive piers, a pair of central and two side gates...The large portions of these gates are in cast iron, and the smaller parts are wrought...The lower portions are divided into square passages, each of which is filled with a quatrefoil...The gates are chiefly enriched with the vine, hawthorn, oak, and rose...The two central or chief piers are 18ft. high, and their pedestals are 3ft. square...they are crowned by capitals enriched with wrought-iron foliage. The shafts of the piers are...filled in with leafage and flowers - the convolvulus, periwinkle, and ivy, intermingled with oak-branches...Over the central gates is a terminal enrichment, formed of the oak and holly, surrounding a shield bearing the arms of Norwich...Each pier is surmounted by a griffin supporting a shield. In view of their workmanship these gates are worthy of the highest commendation; but in design the parts are rather small and apt to entangle the garments of the passer-by'. The gates were designed by Jekyll of Norwich, and then given by the city and county to the then Prince of Wales as a wedding present in 1863. They were moved to Sandringham House in 1908. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.