The Gate House Lodge is known as New Lodge built in the 1800’s for Chirk Castle. We have decided on a few days break in the summer sunshine over the border in to Wales. Gate house is an appropriate name for this Lodge stands guard over a magnificent set of Iron Gates…..
The gate were built in 1719 by local craftsmen and first erected at the north entrance to Chirk Castle but moved to the present site when access needs at that time changed. If entrances in days of old were supposed to make a bold style and wealth statement these certainly do just that.
The village of Chirk is just in Wales on the border from Shropshire, England. For us on the road it is just a blink of an eye and we pass from England to Wales.
But for others cruising on narrow boats on the Langollen Canal it is much more dramatic. Turn a corner on the waterway and you are faced with crossing Chirk Aqueduct a dramatic bridge that carries the canal high over the valley below, opened in 1812 it is a mini marvel of engineering. Nor is it the only bridge as the railway also crossed an even higher mirror image of the aqueduct….It is single file with narrow boats needing taking turns to cross from England to Wales and vice versa…..
But that is only one adventure for those cruising the Llangollen as next they have to negotiate the Tunnel that takes the canal under Chirk village, just one of many engineering challenges that faced the Victorian Canal builders…..
But for us road and foot travellers the only noticeable change is that once in Wales the road signs are now in two languages, English and Welsh…..an added bonus for the sign writer paid by the letter!…..
More explorations to follow.
22 July
© David Oakes 2014
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 