The English Gates

At the entrance to the property are The English Gates. Made in England during the eighteenth century they were purchased at auction by Mr. duPont and installed to greet one and all as they approach the mansion. They consist of a vehicular gate in the center flanked by a pedestrian gate on either side. Tall gate posts with lanterns support a crest reworked to feature an “N” in honor of Mr. duPont’s great-great-grandfather, Pierre Samuel duPont de Nemours. Side panels rest atop kneewalls extending to either side. The impression is one of delicate sophistication made even grander by the richly gilt decoration. The restoration preserved original wrought iron ornament. Where foliage had been lost, Robinson Iron craftsmen replicated ornaments working in traditional methods. Robinson’s expert staff used over 3,000 leaves of 23.75 carat gold on these gates alone.

Existing wrought metal leaves had to be removed, repaired and zinc coated before being re-attached. Missing leaves were hand forged to match originals.

Sanders Fomby inspects a repair.

Black and White photos of the gate components were used to mock-up the gilding schematic.

Chris Bowen and David Bowen prepared each element for gilding.

Each item received a yellow ground and a coat of sizing before receiving the gold leaf.

The gold leaf was applied only after the sizing came to “tack”.

The lanterns were hoisted in the shop with the aid of a fork lift to approximate their position in the field. This enabled Ginny Naudé and Wayne Fuller to decide the extent and placement of the gold leaf.

In the distance you can see the gates in position braced with temporary wooden supports.

The main posts, gates and crest await anchoring to their footing.

The side assemblies are placed atop the kneewalls.

The finished installation shows every delicate detail. Note the lanterns atop the gate posts.