East Gate, incorporating 3 Hole-in-the-Wall Street

Cadw's description

Location

The E end of High Street.

History

The borough of Caernarfon was established by Edward I of England under the Statute of Wales in 1284. It was the centre of government for N Wales and was protected by the erection of the Town Wall, with Caernarfon Castle at its S end. The East Gate was the main landward entrance to the medieval borough and its upper storey over the gateway accommodated the Exchequer, the financial and administrative centre for the shire counties of NW Wales. Construction of the Town Wall had begun in 1283 in conjunction with the building of the castle, probably under the direction of James of St George who was architect of the castle. Masonry work on the first phase of the Town Wall was completed by 1285, re-using some stone from Segontium Roman fort. The Town Wall and East Gate were badly damaged in the native uprising of 1294 and were restored and improved in 1295 at a cost of £1195. The East Gate was rebuilt 1301-2 and continued to house the Exchequer until 1536. It was altered in 1767 when it became the town hall and again in 1833 (tablet on building). The old town hall was demolished in 1872 and rebuilt as the Guildhall, when the original towers were also largely rebuilt, especially the S tower which was largely renewed above plinth level. However, the upper storey of the Guildhall was taken down in 1963, when the present gabled parapet was added.

Exterior

A Gothic-style gateway, mainly of C19 character on a medieval plan, which facing outwards to the E is flanked by single-stage round towers battered at the base. The towers, contrasting the polygonal towers of the castle, are of coursed limestone, largely rebuilt to the S and have loops to the front and to the parapet that was created when the upper stages were taken down. The C19 gateway is set back between the towers, and is of snecked stone with freestone dressings. The gateway has a segmental moulded arch with inset half-height shafts of polished pink granite and foliage capitals, above which is a coped parapet, with raised gabled central portion containing a clock face. To the L of the S tower, above a relieving arch in the Town Wall, are windows inserted on 2 storeys, all boarded up at the time of inspection. In the lower storey are 2 segmental headed windows with voussoirs, above which is a thick roll moulding, and in the upper storey is a 2-light mullioned window of 1872 with plain chamfers.

The passage has a white-brick pointed tunnel vault. In its S wall is a 2-light window with shouldered heads L of centre and a similar single-light window further R. The N wall has a corresponding 2-light window, L of which is a doorway with shouldered head, a boarded door and overlight. On the R side of the doorway is a slate tablet commemorating the site of the Exchequer. On the L side is a larger slate tablet on stone corbels, signed by Trevor Roberts, that records alterations to the tower and its clock in 1833.

In the W elevation, facing High Street, the arch has similar detail to the E side, including a clock face to the parapet. The straight rear elevations of the flanking towers have details of 1872. Each has a tall 3-light mullioned and transomed window with shouldered lights and beneath a pointed arch. Set back further R (known as 3 Hole-in-the-Wall Street), is a double doorway L under a shouldered lintel and replaced double doors, with a single window to its R and 2 windows in the upper storey, all with shouldered lintels.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* as a partly surviving medieval gatehouse with important C19 civic remodelling, and as an integral component of the medieval Town Wall.