Canterbury Archeological Trust

The Mint Yard Gate
Rupert Austin


Hillside Systems

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The remains of the Mint Yard Gate, one of the few surviving examples of Tudor brickwork in Canterbury, can be seen along the east side of Northgate in the wall of the former King's School Gymnasium. Detailed drawings of the gate were prepared by the Trust during the summer of 1993, before the gymnasium was converted into classrooms (Canterbury's Archaeology 1993-94,38-40).

Further work has subsequently been undertaken on the interior after exploratory holes were cut through the modern wall behind the gate in the course of investigations by the King's School into the feasibility of unblocking the gate to illuminate the room behind. Much of the rear of the gate was uncovered as a result of this investigation, giving some tentative indications of the sixteenth-century arrangement.

A wear pattern, created by the constant opening and closing of heavy oak doors, can be seen on the rear face of the gate. Several ridges are visible suggesting that the doors were perhaps replaced, rehung or simply moved a little on their pins over the centuries. A rebate, which once accommodated the doors, still survives behind the south-west jamb.

However, no fabric survives beyond that contained within the frontage of the present nineteenth- century building. Any suggestions about the gateway's original form can therefore only be speculative. It is possible that an oak floor once ceiled the carriageway, with perhaps a chamber above. Perhaps the gate was part of a larger building. But we can only guess as to the possibilities.

See this place today Click on the logo to see this place today.   The information on this page is Copyright © Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd. 1996 Reproduced with permission.
The text and pictures were taken from Canterbury's Archaeology 1994/1995, The 19th Annual Report of Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd.


Peter Collinson Last change: 18th November 2018