Strand Gate Appeal - £20,000 Funds raised and work completed!
For pictures from the Appeal events please click
here
The Strand Gate is perhaps the most well known and
one of the most important of Winchelsea’s ancient monuments. It is a Grade 1 Scheduled Ancient Monument
which was built around 1300. It appeared to be in reasonably
sound condition, at least when viewed from the ground, but it actually was in
urgent need of repair which was extremely expensive.
English Heritage were invited to visit the site and agreed that major works needed to be carried out as a matter of urgency. The pictures show part of the upper section of the gate. An application to English Heritage for partial funding of the repairs was made by the Mayor and Corporation of Winchelsea, who are responsible for the maintenance of the Strand Gate. The application was successful and English Heritage has made an award of £30,000 towards the final overall cost of just under £50,000 - the award required that the work commenced in 2008, and indeed was completed by early November. Work included:
* Erect scaffolding for the entire structure and arrange road closure for the duration of the works* Remove existing cementation capping to the tops of the walls which is causing long term damage to the
structure
* Carefully remove the extensive vegetation that has embedded itself into the stonework. Where necessary
remove the stonework and repair and/or replace stonework and joints
* Re-cover the surface with lime mortar which will allow the stonework to breath and dry out when wet