The Bishop’s Gate Restoration is Complete

Over the course of the last few months, skilled masons from Sally Strachey Historic Conservation have been restoring the Bishop’s Gate. This substantial structure on the south side of the Cathedral stands on the public highway and is opposite the site of the medieval palace of the Bishop of Rochester.

In 2018 the upper part of the Gate, which includes distinctive shapes called crenellations, was found to be unsafe and so each of the stones had to be removed and safely stored. Soon afterwards, the restoration of the Gate was highlighted by Historic England as a priority project for the Cathedral and work began to determine the scope and cost of the project. Following conservation principles of adopting a light touch when restoring historic structures, it was agreed that only the uppermost part of the gate should be restored, as the stones in the lower part of the structure were sound and could be retained.

The Rochester Cathedral Trust set about raising funds for the project, estimated at £47,000. In a first for the Trust, an online art auction was held. More than 30 artists, including Damien Hirst, donated artworks including drawings and paintings, a studio experience and ceramics. There were 39 lots in total and more than 3,000 visits to the auction website during the six-day process. Winning bids totalled over £18,000!

After the Trust confirmed that further grant aid had been secured, work began in October 2021 using local Kentish Ragstone and many of the medieval stones that had been removed in 2018. The work was completed in June this year and the Bishop’s Gate has now been restored to its former handsome appearance.