Gatehouse

A gatehouse is a fortified gateway used to control an entrance.

These structures can accompany a town, a religious house, or a castle. They might also serve a manor house or other important fortification. Gatehouses act as essential entry control points for these locations. Because they sit at the main entrance, they are often the weakest part of a wall. This makes them the most likely target for an enemy attack. To compensate for this weakness, gatehouses are typically the most heavily armed section of a fortification.

To protect the entrance, engineers designed gatehouses with many defensive mechanisms. One common feature is a drawbridge that can be raised to block passage. Many gatehouses also use a portcullis, which is a heavy gate that slides vertically. Defenders could use arrow loops to shoot at attackers from safety. Some structures even included murder-holes. These were openings used to drop stones onto attackers below. In the late Middle Ages, some arrow loops were converted into gun loops. These were specialized ports designed for guns rather than bows.

Gatehouses can vary greatly in their design and complexity. In France, the term logis-porche describes a gatehouse that might serve as lodging. A very large gatehouse might be called a châtelet, which means a small castle. In some castles, the gatehouse was so strong it functioned as a keep. This specific type of building is sometimes called a "gate keep." Some gatehouses are part of a larger urban defense system. For example, the Monnow Bridge in Monmouth incorporates urban defenses into its structure.

History shows that gatehouses have evolved significantly over thousands of years. They first appeared in early antiquity to protect the main entrances of towns and castles. The Ishtar Gate in Babylon is a famous early example of such a gate. Later, the Romans built fortified walls and gates throughout Europe. The Aurelian Walls of Rome include gates like the Porta San Paolo. In Germany, the ancient defenses of Trier include the Porta Nigra. Over time, these structures grew from simple gates into very complicated systems of defense.

Many notable gatehouses still stand as historical monuments today. In England, the city of York has four important gatehouses known as "Bars." One example is the Micklegate Bar. In Southampton, the Bargate was constructed in 1180 as part of the town walls. Durham Castle features an 11-century gatehouse that now provides accommodation for students. Other English examples include the 13th-century gatehouse at Ightham Mote. In the United States, the Latrobe Gate was built in 1806 in Washington, D.C.

Different regions developed unique styles for these important structures. In France, the Château de Châteaubriant has two gatehouses from the 13th and 14th centuries. The Château de Suscinio is a large 15th-century gatehouse built in the logis-porte style. In England, Stanway House has a gatehouse measuring 44 ft. by 22 ft. with three storeys. Westwood House in Worcestershire has a frontage of 54 ft. and two storeys. Burton Agnes Hall features a three-storey gatehouse flanked by great octagonal towers. These specific measurements and styles show how diverse gatehouse architecture can be.

By the end of the Middle Ages, the purpose of the gatehouse began to shift. In England and France, many were converted into grand entrance structures. They became beautiful features for manor houses or large estates. At this time, they lost their defensive purpose. Instead, they became monumental structures designed to harmonize with a mansion. Some became free-standing buildings. Others remained attached to the main house only by an enclosing wall. They moved from being tools of war to symbols of status and beauty.