Exchequergate

Exchequergate is a Grade I listed west gatehouse to the Close wall, dating from the mid-14th century and restored in the 19th century. The building is constructed of ashlar stone with an asphalt roof and features a chamfered plinth, two string courses, a coped parapet, and gables with finials.

It stands three storeys high and has five bays. The east front includes a central moulded archway flanked by turrets with crenellated tops, with smaller archways and lancet windows beyond. All openings have hoodmoulds and mask stops, and above each of the three archways are canopied niches. Further up, there are single lancets with hoodmoulds, a small central loop, and foiled single lancets.

On the west side, there is a similar central arch flanked by two-light pointed arched windows and smaller arches, all with linked hoodmoulds. To the left, at a higher level, is a smaller plain lancet. Above this, there is a central canopied niche flanked by single loops and two-light pointed arched windows. Above again, there are five smaller two-light pointed arched windows. Under the archways, stone diagonal rib vaults with bosses and brick cells are present, along with chamfered doorways and paired shouldered openings for shops, which are now blocked.

In addition to serving as a gateway, this building once housed several rented shops. A western gateway was demolished between around 1796 and 1816. The interior was not inspected.