NHER 26083 (Building record) - Erpingham Gate, The Close

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Summary

Donated in about 1420 by Sir Thomas Erpingham, who commanded Henry V's archers at the Battle of Agincourt, this magnificent flint and stone gateway stands opposite the west face of the Cathedral, presenting a very tall arch towards Tombland. The arch is flanked by carved polygonal buttresses topped by statues, and both buttresses and arch are covered with sculpture and heraldry, which survive, with a little later restoration, in their entirety. A figure of Sir Thomas kneels in an elaborately carved niche set in knapped flint over the arch.

Protected Status/Designation

Location

Map sheet	TG20NW
Civil Parish	NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

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Full Description

June 172. Listed, Grade I.
Listing Description:
Gateway. 1420, restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. Flint and stone.
Large two-centre arch with three orders of mouldings with two bands of figures between, towards Tombland.
The arch is flanked by two carved panelled polygonal buttresses to spandrel height.
Shields in the spandrels. Gable with central statue niche, kneeler statues capping the buttress. Apex cross.
Information from (S1).

See schedule (S2) in file.

For a discussion of the influence of the gate on Norfolk church architecture see references (S3) and (S4).

Main reference for the gate is now (S5) page 91 which states Sir Thomas Erpingham built the gate as a memorial to himself, but his staue on it probably came from his tomb, and was moved here in 18th/19th century.
E. Rose (NLA), 9 May 2001.

Associated Sources (9)

--- SNF86268 Article in Serial: Whitingham, A. 1980. Gates of the Cathedral Close, Norwich. The Archaeological Journal. Vol 137 p 316.
--- SNF58263 Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 226.
--- SNF57204 Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 20 NW 127.2 [2].
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1> SNF48662 Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1372788.
<S2> SNF43 Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. DNF268.
<S3> SNF48428 Article in Monograph: Fawcett, R. 1996. The Influence of the Gothic Parts of the Cathedral on Church Building in Norfolk. Norwich Cathedral, Church, City and Diocese 1096-1996. Atherton, I. et al (eds.). pp 210-227. p 223.
<S4> SNF48420 Article in Serial: Fawcett, R.. 1982. [unknown]. Antiquaries Journal. Vol LXII. 2.
<S5> SNF48663 Monograph: Curry, A. (ed). 2000. Agincourt: a new history.. p 87.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (1)

GATE (Medieval to 21st Century - 1420 AD to 2100 AD)

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (1)

Geographical: NHER 377 - Part of: Cathedral Close (cathedral precinct) (Monument)

Find out more...(2)

Record last edited

Oct 11 2018 1:26PM