24758

 

II  

Designated  

14/02/2001  

14/02/2001  

Lion Gates and attached Lodges at Chepstow Racecourse (Piercefield Park)  

 

Monmouthshire  

Chepstow  

Chepstow  

Piercefield Park  

352361  

194558  

E  

About 1000m north west of Chepstow situated on the north side of the roundabout where the A466 crosses the B4293.  

Domestic  

 

The western boundary wall of Piercefield Park was built in 1794 at which time the turnpike from Chepstow to St. Arvans village and Devauden was already in place, having been built in 1760 to move the public road further from the house. The rusticated gatepiers and the Coade stone lions may date from 1794, but this is by no means certain, and the lodges, the railings and the foot gates are said to date from 1833, during the period of the opening of Piercefield to the public in the C19, and are an eloquent reminder of the numbers who visited, but who clearly must have been vetted by the gatekeepers for 'respectability'. The ensemble does read together as a whole and it may all be of 1833, although Coxe reported in 1801 that Mark Wood had built the 'lodge gate and palisadoes'. The lodges are an improvement initiated by Nathaniel Wells, owner 1802-52. The walks were open to 'respectable' people on Tuesdays and Fridays during the ownership of both Mark Wood and Nathaniel Wells. For further history of the estate see Piercefield House.  

The buildings are constructed of sandstone ashlar with Welsh slate roofs, the gates and railings are wrought iron. Double iron gates, flanked by tall rusticated ashlar piers, flanked by iron railings on a dwarf stone wall, flanked by foot doors in stone surrounds flanked by more railings, flanked by handed single bay two storey lodges. The gate piers are topped by couchant lions which may be Coade stone. The foot gates, which are like sentry boxes, are set in spike railings on a dwarf wall. The lodges have quoins and a plat band between the storeys. A 3 over 3 pane sash below and a 2 + 2 pane casement above. Pyramid roof with paired eaves brackets and an ashlar stack with weathered head on the outer wall of each lodge. The entrances and other windows are on the side and rear elevations.  

Interiors not seen at resurvey, but they are a basic two room plan with kitchen outshut, all very small.  

Included as a late C18 and C19 park entrance which is a significant component of the nationally important historic landscape of Piercefield Park.