Water gate

Bridgwater Castle was built by William Briwerre in 1201, next to the River Parrett; as well as the main gates there was also a water gate to bring goods directly from the incoming ships into the castle… and although most of the castle was destroyed some parts still remain, or can be detected incorporated into other buildings. This might seem a vulnerable spot if anyone was attacking the castle but it was well-defended; there was probably a portcullis, probably murder holes through which objects could be dropped on those below, and arrow loops through which archers could fire at attackers. The gate would have opened into a vaulted area where the goods could be store, and probably organised before being distributed to different pasts of the castle. This area was subsequently used as a boned warehouse, and the street it opens onto on the other side of the line of the castle wall is called Bond Street.

The castle wall, now bordering a car park

The water gate is on West Quay, now set back between two more modern buildings. It apparently has three arches, but as I only looked at it from the pavement and didn’t go down the little passageway leading to it I couldn’t see that.

The first arch apparently has spayed outer jambs… um, not quite sure what they are,  but a door jamb is the framework round a door so I’m guessing that these are stone frameworks round the entrance; part of one of the arches was rebuilt in the nineteenth century with bricks. There is a little recess in part of the wall between the outer and the middle arch and it’s been suggested that this is where an official sat, checking what was going in, or maybe just a gate-keeper checking who was going in.