The Vernacular Gates of Snowdonia.

As an Area Warden for the Snowdonia National Park Authority I am responsible for improving access opportunities in the countryside. Some years ago I realised that we were frequently guilty of replacing old dilapidated pedestrian gates with new mass-produced ones, issued by the local authorities, which were out of keeping with the local area.  I began to appreciate the subtlety and uniqueness of the design of the old gates, and to regret the fact that “improvements” to the Public Right of Way network were leading to a loss of heritage.

I started to take pictures of older gates within my area of the National Park and meeting  some of our ageing blacksmiths. I realised that these unique designs were kept within the blacksmith’s head and,  if not documented,  would be lost for ever. Some of the blacksmiths skilfully drew their designs on paper for me,  probably for the first time.

Gates are natural access points into the countryside, and are a superb opportunity to continue showing the idiosyncrasies and unique skills of the local blacksmith today, They can provide an opportunity for modern artwork also. A good example is the new pedestrian gate into Cwm Idwal, which replaced two ladder stiles and a dilapidated dog gate, making access much easier for all abilities. It also engages with the visually impaired, as it is a tactile design reflecting the topography around Twll Du.  More importantly, it blends into the natural environment and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Interpretation could be incorporated into the design of the gate,  lessening the proliferation of signage in these fairly wild areas.

As farming practices have changed, agricultural vehicles have become wider and heavier to the detriment of many farm gates. Older gates, mainly seven to eight feet wide, allow access by horse and cart. Nowadays a ten foot gate is the minimum with the standard gate being twelve feet wide. Some gates have been extended sympathetically, at least allowing the original gate to be re-used and the original design to remain visible. In locations where this is not feasible, consideration should be given to redeploying the gate to a setting where access by modern machinery is not required. However, it is important that  they are re-used in the immediate area to avoid distorting the distribution pattern of vernacular gates.

Environmental agricultural schemes such as Tir Gofal and Rhaglen Tir Eryri have proliferated over the past few years, and large sums of money have been spent re-building dry stone walls in the uplands. These walls are a very important part of the cultural and physical landscape, quite apart from the shelter they provide for stock early in spring at lambing time. This work is to be applauded but sadly, gates were initially an afterthought and old gates were often replaced by standard galvanised gates. Later these were replaced by wooden gates; fine in areas like Mid-Wales where they are traditional, but out of place in Snowdonia, where the tradition is predominately wrought iron. A photo library of various designs would alleviate this problem and make replicating the traditional designs much easier for the landowner and the officers involved in these schemes.

Every organisation is under financial constraints and accountability is very important but  I feel that we have a moral obligation to promote good practice, especially on the most popular routes. Recently the Countryside Council for Wales contracted a local blacksmith to reproduce the traditional gate designs which have been installed on the main path up to the waterfall at Abergwyngregyn.

I also feel that it is important that where possible we adopt modern techniques, as in another example in Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve. Here a local fabricator who specialises in disabled access gates has patented a self closing mechanism which is included in the design of the gate; it is not obtrusive, and does not detract from the vernacular design. The inspiration for this design of boundary fencing and gate was taken from an old postcard, and replicated.

Replicating these older designs will cost slightly more in the short term, but some of these gates date back over a hundred years. Will the cheaper gates provided by Highway Authorities to be installed on the Public Rights of Way network  stand this test of time?

We need to safeguard and increase public awareness of Snowdonia’s cultural heritage including  raising awareness of vernacular designs. I hope that in conjunction with Snowdonia Society members we can create a photo library of examples of farm and pedestrian gates, to be copied by local blacksmiths and used in the appropriate area as an integral part of efforts to improve access to the countryside.

Alan Pritchard (Area Warden Snowdonia National Park)