Medieval Bastion / Western Fort Gate

The bastions here on the west side of the wall are medieval in origin. The Romans themselves added some bastions on the eastern section of the wall, but here in the west they probably felt that the Fleet River, which ran very near the wall, was sufficient protection.

85,000 tons of Kentish ragstone were shipped down the Medway from Maidstone, along the coast and up the tidal Thames in 1300 barges to build the wall. This calculation was made possible by the finding of a fully laden barge in the Thames near the western end of the wall in 1962.

The Western Gate

Below the street known now as London Wall, in an anonymous room in a car park, is the old Western Gate to the Cripplegate Fort.

This was built in 125AD with two square towers. The northern tower contained a guardroom and access to the sentry walk. Between the two towers was a gravel road divided into two lanes.

The exterior of the gate, like the wall, would have been in dressed stone, with a ragstone interior filling.

The section of wall strengthening added in 200AD is clearly visible, as are the grooves worn into the stones by the repeated opening and closing of the doors.

The Gate can be visited on specific days by arrangement with the Museum of London.

  

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