North West Gateway to Montacute House

The north-west gateway to Montacute House is an entrance gateway that may date back to 1786, although it could have been relocated or newly built between 1845 and 1852. It features gatepiers and sidewalls made of Ham stone ashlar, along with cast-iron gates. The structure includes approximately 30 metres of ashlar walling that stands about 1.5 metres high, topped with thin shaped coping. This walling is punctuated by square gatepiers that reach about 3.5 metres in height, which have a string course, an Adamesque frieze, and a flat cornice. The piers also feature steps and stone representations of flaming braziers on four ball feet, symbolizing the Phelips family. The gates are designed in a 16th or 17th century strapwork style, though their exact date of manufacture is uncertain. At each end of the wall, there are smaller, simpler piers that are about 2.5 metres high. This gateway is an important feature in the setting of Montacute House and is aligned with the exact axis of the west front. The drive leading to the house was constructed between 1784 and 1785, originally described as curving south before approaching the house, with some reorganization of the grounds occurring between 1845 and 1852.