NHER 558 (Building record) - St Ethelbert's Gate, The Close

St Ethelbert's Gate, The Close.

'On site of earlier gateway'.
R.R. Clarke (NCM).

For further details see file.

1954. Listed Grade I.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Gateway with former Chapel above, now used as classroom. Circa 1316, with early 19th-century restorations by W. Wilkins and 20th-century restorations. Flint and ashlar. Two storeys. Small door on left-side to clockwise spiral stair. Two-centre moulded arch on attached columns with 20th-century George and Dragon spandrels."
Information form (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 December 2017. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 8 November 2019.

1963.
Removal of plaster showed that two stages of construction were present on inside of gate. The original flint wall appears to be pre 1272 riots and may be associated with early Norman walling on either side of gate.
E.B. Green (NCM).

1964.
Repair to gate led to discovery of Norman stonework under 13th to 14th century repair after 1272 riot. Caen stone block donated to Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1964.321).
E.B. Green (NCM).

It is suggested in (S2) that the builder was John Ramsey, possibly the architect of Cley next the Sea church. This source also draws attention to the unusual timber reinforcement buried inside the walls and floor (pp 7-8).
Rose, E. (NLA), 26 February 2007.

2003. Watching Brief and Building Survey.
Monitoring of urgent repairs to the roof, stair turret and west gable façade. The flintwork of this west gable has been cited as one of the earliest examples of flushwork in the country, but research and recording revealed that it had been completely refaced in the early 19th century by Wilkins and the design subtly change.
See Norwich Cathedral Archive for further details (A29/36). This work is also summarised in (S3).
P. Watkins (HES), 21 March 2017.

July 2007.
Scheduled momument consent granted concerning repairs to a collapsed 19th-century brick culvert. Repairs will include the excavation of a trench north of the culvert, removing the collapsed material and making good the void and cobbled roadway.
See (S4) for further details.
H. White (NLA), 6 April 2009.