SEnine
is likely to be much local sentiment about it. In private hands the gate will no doubt be repaired and such artistic interest as it
HISTORIC ELTHAM
expenditure of no more that £30 on their removal and the necessary gap-filling brickwork.
The Eltham gates were removed on Wednesday 1 September 1920 and taken by motor van to Oxon Hoath. On departure the V & A’s vehicle unfortunately ‘gave the pillar its coup de grace but it has sustained previous collisions and on this occasion was only caught by a corner of a flapping tarpaulin.’
Back at Eltham the gap between the pillars, where the gates stood, was filled with old bricks by contractor Mr AC Beeson of Court Yard who also lowered the height of the pillars to that of the existing wall, for which he was paid £11.11s.0d.
The relocated Eltham gates at Oxon Hoath, 1998
be possible to allow the gates (at Eltham) to follow suit.’
999, in front of the bricked in section ported the old gates until 1920
An expert from the V & A was dispatched to Eltham and his report includes these comments. ‘The gate is fairly good, but a rather course specimen of 18th century work, not very interesting in design and in poor condition, sev eral features having disappeared. It
is disused as a gate, is fastened with iron clamps and merely forms part of the fencing of the agricultural ground with a growing crop. So far as its utility goes a length of iron railing would effectively fill the space.’ He further commented that Eltham was being de-ruralised, the land opposite Heath’s farm is being pegged out for houses and electric trams will soon be running along Eltham Hill. He adds, ‘the appearance of the farm and the gate in the wall is really shabby rather than picturesque and I do not think there
Volunteer and help out
has will no doubt be preserved. From the public point of view the nation will obtain for the national museum an unusually beautiful example of English ironwork in good condition in exchange for one of very interim quality in poor condition.’ Although another official’s comment on the report said ‘It does not seem very likely that the removal of the Eltham gate will excite any local feeling’ the secretary of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings on hearing the details of this transfer said,
‘my committee cannot believe this to be true.’
Eltham Hill School was built on the former agricultural land and opened in September 1927. Their plan for the site necessitated another breach in the old front wall for a new school entrance just west from the site of the old gates. New pillars were constructed and a modern gate inserted which continues the tradition of a gate in this area.
Later research has disassociated any historical connection of the original gates with Van Dyck although the Grade 2 listed summer house has been affectionately known by the school as the ‘Van Dyck pavilion’. We still have no idea why such elaborate old gates were positioned but the theories may still rumble on!
The school’s new gates of 1927 The
Treasury agreed on 31 March 1920 to the exchange of gates and the
Work has started on the new school buildings at Eltham Hill and one wonders whether any remains of former structures, or drainage pipes, might be unearthed by the builders. In the meantime the former gates adorn the garden at Oxon Hoath and their swapped gates, when on display at the V&A, are erroneously labelled as coming from ‘Eltham’ despite the fact that their
consulted archives prove otherwise! All pictures are from the John Kennett collection
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