View of Westgate Gardens looking towards the Westgate Towers, Canterbury
The Westgate is a medieval gatehouse in Canterbury, Kent, England. This 60-foot-high western gate of the city wall is the largest surviving city gate in England. Built of Kentish ragstone around 1379, it is the last survivor of Canterbury's seven medieval gates, still well-preserved and one of the city's most distinctive landmarks. The road still passes between its drum towers, and there is just enough room for a double-decker bus to pass beneath. This scheduled monument and Grade I listed building houses the hundred-year-old West Gate Towers Museum, which as of July 2011 was open every day from 10am to 4:30pm, although it is currently closed for legal reasons. Access to the museum and roof is via spiral staircases only. The Westgate Gardens can be found close to the City centre, just next to the West Gate Tower. The eleven acres of public gardens provide an ideal setting for a gentle stroll along the banks of the River Stour, while the less energetic can sit back, unwind and absorb the tranquil beauty of the garden and its wildlife. The meandering river provides the perfect environment for swans, ducks and moorhens to settle and raise their young. In the summer, the garden provides an ideal setting for open air events, exhibitions or as a picnic area. This site has been a public space since the Middle Ages, although late Iron Age and early Roman pottery has been found on site. During the 1400s, this area was called the Rosier - with five gardens and meadow land. Throughout this period many disputes arose between the residents and the Prior of Christ Church concerning the site's ownership. In 1427, the Prior claimed that the townspeople had stolen hay from the meadow lands. They in turned accused the Prior of diverting the course of the river to feed one of the mills. Judgement was made by Archbishop Chichele, who decided that they hay had been stolen and the monks should return the river to its natural course.
Size: 5104px × 3744px
Location: Westgate Gardens, Canterbury, Kent,
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: canterbury, gardens, gatehouse, great, hstoric, leisure, medieval, park, public, river, riverside, stour, towers, walk, walking, westgate
