Replacement for an earlier Tapsel gate at St Mary's, Willingdon, East Sussex

Image: © Andrew Diack Taken: 20 Jun 2022

A watercolour by Samuel Hieronymous Grimm, circa 1780-1785, from the Burrell Collection, British Library shows that St Mary’s Church, Willingdon, near Eastbourne, once had a Tapsel gate. The gate probably connected the church to the vicarage. This Tapsel gate no longer exists but it has been replaced with another gate, or perhaps one in a number of replacement gates, which are either in the same position or in a similar position to the original. It is believed that Tapsel gates were first designed by John Tapsel of Mountfield, near Battle, in East Sussex around the early 18th century. Although they were once more numerous, there are now only six such remaining gates in Sussex and these are centred within a 10 mile radius of Lewes. The name ‘Tapsel gate’ is sometimes used more loosely to describe swivelling gates of a similar design.

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