Gates And Railings To S Entrance To Springfield

WORCESTER

SO8455NE BRITANNIA SQUARE 620-1/8/694 Gates and railings to S. entrance to Springfield

GV II

Southern entrance to Springfield comprising pair of drive gates, pedestrian gate and associated hinge-posts, flanking railings together with end-posts, plinth and pillars. Gates and hinge posts are considered neither to match nor to be original to this entrance but all probably early C19 with the railings and stonework being contemporary with the house. Wrought-iron, cast-iron, timber, and sandstone. Overall length of gateway approx. 18m. between square stone pillars approx. 2m. high with pyramidal tops and incised with simplified form of Greek Key decoration. Line of gates and railings set back from pillars and site boundary by approx. 3m. End-sections of railings and plinth curved in plan to link to pillars. Paired gate opening approx. 5m. wide with pedestrian gate to right. Gates set asymmetrically off-centre right. Height of gates and railings approx. 1.75m.; railings set on 0.3m. high stone plinth. Intermediate posts to railings are square-section with anthemion terminations, otherwise circular, alternate full height and third height, the former with smaller cast anthemium finials, the latter with fluted arrowheads. Terminations to railings at gate ends are cast-iron skeleton posts incorporating anthemion cap, Greek Key motif, diagonal cross-bracing and dog bars to match railings. Scrolled stays to rear of intermediate posts. Hinge-posts are cylindrical cast-iron decorated with raised strapwork and mouldings to part-spherical caps and further decorative finials; identified in casting as being by Bayliss Ltd. of London. One of the posts is a timber replica. The gates are square-section, full-height bars with pointed tops Decoration limited to bobbins to centre of each gate together with C scrolls to ends and centre. HISTORICAL NOTE: the First Edition O.S. Map of 1886 shows the present entrance layout but without the side pedestrian access and gates apparently symmetrically positioned.