Project Description
Rackheath Hall entrance gates, also known as the Golden Gates, were commissioned for the great exhibition by Queen Victoria in 1850. Originally painted gold, they arrived at Rackheath Hall in 1886 when the two lodges were built.
I removed the gates and took them back to my workshop, where extensive renovation took place. The main upright boxes were no longer structurally supportive and a lot of sections of the panels had been broken off. The gates also needed adapting to cope with the modern vehicles and farm machinery that need access through the entrance.
Between the owners and the conservation team the decision was made to remove the empty panelled main gate support boxes and use the material to form a structural support for the other boxes. The support boxes were also turned 90 degrees, creating a wider entrance. This allowed us to remove the modern brickwork and scaffold that was previously required to support the gates.
