Gilded gates

Image: © A J Paxton Taken: 10 Apr 2016

These gilded iron gates guard an opening in the walls of Castle Bromwich Hall gardens, and when opened connect the north garden of the hall with the churchyard of the church of St Mary & St Margaret, which can be seen behind the gates. Walls and gates were constructed by the Bridgeman family in the early 18th century; they were declared listed buildings in 2020 and their listing and associated description can be seen at the Historic England site here https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1472046?section=official-list-entry . The church building that we see here was constructed in the same period as the gates and walls, between 1726 and 1731, to designs by Thomas White of Worcester. It encases a 15th century timber-framed church, concealing it completely behind red brick and stone on the exterior and plasterwork inside; see the Historic England entry for the church here https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1075951?section=official-list-entry . That something is hidden is hinted at by the very odd, unclassical proportions of the interior, with squat, bulging columns concealing the medieval timbers.

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