West Gate in Warwick to undergo repairs and restoration works

Work is set to start on an iconic 12th century stone archway in Warwick.
West Gate in Warwick.West Gate in Warwick.
West Gate in Warwick.

The West Gate archway, which is located at the junction of High Street and Bowling Green Street, will be undergoing restoration and repairs works.

It is also situated next to the Lord Leycester Hospital.

West Gate was one of three gates through Warwick’s medieval town wall and supports St James Chapel, which forms part of the Lord Leycester Hospital.

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Work is due to start on September 6 and it is expected that the works will continue into November.

According to Warwickshire County Council’s website “only the most severely eroded stonework will be replaced or refaced but due to the current condition of the structure, this will include a large number of blocks”.

They also said that “all new masonry will be sandstone that matches the existing sandstone and that repointing between the masonry blocks will be done using traditional lime mortar and any loose sections of stone will be removed from the blocks that are to remain.”

The details of the works have been created from input from Warwick District Council’s Conservation Officer, Historic England and an architect that specialises in heritage projects.

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The repairs will be completed by a firm of stonemasons who specialise in restoring historic buildings.

Currently temporary scaffolding has been placed in the archway so that it can be used by pedestrians.

When work is taking place to the outside of the archway access will still be available but when the work inside the arch takes place there will be a designated route for pedestrians.

A spokesperson from Warwickshire County Council said: “The repair and restoration scheme on the West Gate archway in Warwick is due to start on September 6 and is expected to be completed in early November.

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“The West Gate is a Grade I-listed stone archway that dates back to the 12th century. Due to the type of sandstone it is constructed from it is particularly susceptible to erosion.

“These essential works are being undertaken to ensure public safety and restore part of the town’s important heritage.

“We aim to keep disruption in the town to a minimum whilst these works are taking place and encourage members of the public to keep an eye on www.warwickshire.gov.uk/westgate for updates on the scheme and any traffic restrictions that may be put in place.”

Traffic Management:

The eastbound lane of High Street will be closed for the first phase of the works while repairs are undertaken to the outside faces of the structure. This will be done using temporary traffic signals at the High Street, West Street and Bowling Green Street junction and will be in place until late October.

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Leycester Place will also be closed for this phase so that three-way rather than four-way traffic signals can be used to improve traffic flows. The second phase of the work will take place inside the arch and will only require occasional traffic management in the High Street.