The Westgate - Trust Annual Report 1995
In 1983, pressure from the Trust acted as the catalyst for the refurbishment of the inside of the Westgate arch, and the placing of the granite setts symbolising the old roadway through the arch. Ever since that date the Trust has been waiting for the opportunity to extend the granite setts on either side of the arch, so as to strengthen the concept of the old roadway. In spite of the fact that the water company has since put down no fewer than thirteen manhole covers (presumably with manholes underneath!) in the paving immediately below the Westgate, an opportunity has now arisen for implementing this scheme.
The final approval of the one-way traffic scheme for the upper part of the High Street has opened the way for redesigning the area of the Westgate. The Trust's original proposal largely the work of Nick Bourne, was a proposal to limit the direction of traffic using Tower Street so that it only came out into the High Street, and prohibit entry from the High Street into Tower Street. This would mean that there was only a requirement for a single lane of traffic going up past the Westgate. The Trust proposal was then to move this single carriageway away from the Westgate towards Queen Elizabeth's Court, and so allow space for a tree, or eventually perhaps a building, alongside the Westgate in the position original occupied by the Plume of Feathers pub.
Alas, this idea was not to be, since the County Council's traffic experts considered it premature to alter the traffic direction in Tower street. However, during the next twenty year changes will undoubtedly be made to the City's traffic patterns, when it is to be hoped the this proposal might be reconsidered.
A team from the Trust has since studied the County Council's proposals, as most clearly shown at the public exhibition in Mottisfont Court. In summary, the Trust's final proposal were for the extension of the granite setts under the arch right out to the kerbs on both ides, and removal the narrow pavement on the north side of the Westgate. This would widen the space allocated for the two roadways, and thus allow room for a tree on the central reservation between the two carriageways. This would emphasise the former link provided by the old City Wall.
The County Council's proposal for a different texture of paving in the immediate vicinity the Westgate was not thought to be necessary, in that it would serve to isolate the Westgate By using the same paving materials as already exist in the upper part of the High Street above and below the Westgate, we considered that it would make the Westgate more of al integral part of the street scene, rather than something imposed upon it.
There is every chance that the County Council's scheme, hopefully adjusted to take th Trust's comments into account, will be implemented in early 1996.
The Westgate - Reproduced by kind permission of Winchester Museum Service