Tapsel gate
Encyclopedia
A Tapsel gate is a type of wooden gate
, unique to the English
county of Sussex
, which has a central pivot upon which it can rotate through 90° in either direction before coming to a stop at two fixed points. It was named after a Sussex family of bell-founders, one of whom invented it in the late 18th century. Only six examples survive, all within a 10 miles (16.1 km) radius of Lewes
, the county town
of Sussex.The historic county of Sussex has been divided into two non-metropolitan counties, East Sussex and West Sussex. Lewes was the county town of historic Sussex and is now the county town of East Sussex. Tapsel gates have the dual advantage of keeping cattle out of churchyards and allowing the efficient passage of coffins carried to and from the church during burials. The name sometimes is used more generally to describe swivelling gates of a similar design elsewhere.
paid for some church bells. The surname was recorded as "Topsayle" and many other variant spellings have been recorded subsequently: Tapsell, Tapsil, Tapsayle, Tapsaille, Topsil and Topsel. As a result, the name of the gate sometimes is spelled differently. Several generations of the family worked as bell-founders and rope-makers from a foundry
in Tarring, although they travelled throughout Sussex to undertake repairs and cast new bells.
Research suggests the most likely inventor of the Tapsel gate was John Tapsel (or Tapsell), who lived in Mountfield
near Battle
in the early 18th century, although this is not known for certain. The first record of a Tapsel gate is in the churchwarden's accounts book from St. Pancras Church at Kingston near Lewes. An accounting entry in 1729 notes that 1s. 6d
. was paid by the church for the installation of a gate in its churchyard.
, St. Mary the Virgin Church at neighbouring Friston
, and Coombes Church
in the hamlet
of Coombes
retain their original gates, without any restoration. The gate at St. Andrew's Church in Jevington
was the only one with an integral stile
, but this has been removed and it was restored in 1933. The local parish council has adopted the gate as its logo. The gate at the Church of the Transfiguration
in Pyecombe
is a replica of its original, and is topped by the curved end of a Pyecombe crook—a type of shepherd's crook popular among downland
shepherds, which was made in a forge opposite the church.
St Pancras Church at Kingston near Lewes
, has a modern replacement for the old gate which was first set up in 1729.
A short distance from Coombes Church
, a modern Tapsel gate dated 2003 links St Botolph's Church
in Botolphs
, West Sussex, with an adjacent burial ground.
No gates of the true Tapsel design have ever been reported outside Sussex, although variations on the concept have been seen occasionally. In 1896, for example, the Sussex Archaeological Society
used the name "Tapsel gate" in its description of a device which opened and closed by means of a wheel, chain, and counterweight
. This was at St. Leonard's Church in Heston
, Middlesex (now Greater London). The name also is used to describe gates of related, but not identical, design at St Wilfrid's Church in Burnsall
, North Yorkshire (this gate is operated by a pulley mechanism), Hayes
in West London, and North Cerney in Gloucestershire (these are integrated into lychgate
s rather than being free-standing).
s to carry a coffin
through a gate without difficulty.
Gate
A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or a moderately sized opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port...
, unique to the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, which has a central pivot upon which it can rotate through 90° in either direction before coming to a stop at two fixed points. It was named after a Sussex family of bell-founders, one of whom invented it in the late 18th century. Only six examples survive, all within a 10 miles (16.1 km) radius of Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
, the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Sussex.The historic county of Sussex has been divided into two non-metropolitan counties, East Sussex and West Sussex. Lewes was the county town of historic Sussex and is now the county town of East Sussex. Tapsel gates have the dual advantage of keeping cattle out of churchyards and allowing the efficient passage of coffins carried to and from the church during burials. The name sometimes is used more generally to describe swivelling gates of a similar design elsewhere.
Origins
The Tapsel family first was recorded in Sussex in 1577, when the churchwardens in the parish of West TarringTarring, West Sussex
West Tarring is a neighbourhood of the Borough of Worthing in West Sussex, England. It lies on the A2031 road northwest of the town centre. It is officially called West Tarring or, less commonly, Tarring Peverell, to differentiate it from Tarring Neville near Lewes, but is usually called just...
paid for some church bells. The surname was recorded as "Topsayle" and many other variant spellings have been recorded subsequently: Tapsell, Tapsil, Tapsayle, Tapsaille, Topsil and Topsel. As a result, the name of the gate sometimes is spelled differently. Several generations of the family worked as bell-founders and rope-makers from a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
in Tarring, although they travelled throughout Sussex to undertake repairs and cast new bells.
Research suggests the most likely inventor of the Tapsel gate was John Tapsel (or Tapsell), who lived in Mountfield
Mountfield, East Sussex
Mountfield is a village and civil parish in the Rother District of East Sussex three miles north-west of Battle. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book....
near Battle
Battle, East Sussex
Battle is a small town and civil parish in the local government district of Rother in East Sussex, England. It lies south southeast of London, east of Brighton and east of the county town of Lewes...
in the early 18th century, although this is not known for certain. The first record of a Tapsel gate is in the churchwarden's accounts book from St. Pancras Church at Kingston near Lewes. An accounting entry in 1729 notes that 1s. 6d
Penny (British pre-decimal coin)
The penny of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, was in circulation from the early 18th century until February 1971, Decimal Day....
. was paid by the church for the installation of a gate in its churchyard.
Location of the gates
Gates of various ages exist at village churches in East and West Sussex. -St. Simon and St. Jude Church at East DeanEast Dean and Friston
East Dean and Friston is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England.The two villages in the parish are in a dry valley on the South Downs - between Eastbourne three miles to the east and Seaford an equal distance to the west. The main A259 road goes through both village centres...
, St. Mary the Virgin Church at neighbouring Friston
East Dean and Friston
East Dean and Friston is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England.The two villages in the parish are in a dry valley on the South Downs - between Eastbourne three miles to the east and Seaford an equal distance to the west. The main A259 road goes through both village centres...
, and Coombes Church
Coombes Church
Coombes Church is a Church of England parish church in the rural hamlet of Coombes in the Adur District of West Sussex, England. It has served the rural parish, northwest of Shoreham-by-Sea and next to the River Adur, since the 11th century. Despite several rebuildings, some structural elements...
in the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Coombes
Coombes
Coombes is a hamlet and civil parish in the Adur District of West Sussex, England. The village is in the Adur Valley northwest of Shoreham-by-Sea....
retain their original gates, without any restoration. The gate at St. Andrew's Church in Jevington
Willingdon and Jevington
Willingdon and Jevington is one of the civil parishes in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The two villages lie one mile south of Polegate. The two parishes, two decades ago, were separate; the merger of the two has produced a parish of over 6,000 people...
was the only one with an integral stile
Stile
A stile is a structure which provides people a passage through or over a fence or boundary via steps, ladders, or narrow gaps. Stiles are often built in rural areas or along footpaths to allow access to an adjacent field or area separated by a fence, wall or hedge...
, but this has been removed and it was restored in 1933. The local parish council has adopted the gate as its logo. The gate at the Church of the Transfiguration
Church of the Transfiguration, Pyecombe
The Church of the Transfiguration is an Anglican church in the village of Pyecombe, in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. The mostly 12th- and 13th-century building, in an isolated setting facing the South Downs, has been listed at Grade I by English Heritage: this status is given to...
in Pyecombe
Pyecombe
Pyecombe is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It is located 7 miles to the north of Brighton. The civil parish covers an area of and has a population of 200 ....
is a replica of its original, and is topped by the curved end of a Pyecombe crook—a type of shepherd's crook popular among downland
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
shepherds, which was made in a forge opposite the church.
St Pancras Church at Kingston near Lewes
Kingston near Lewes
Kingston near Lewes is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book and is located two miles south of Lewes on the slopes of the South Downs....
, has a modern replacement for the old gate which was first set up in 1729.
A short distance from Coombes Church
Coombes Church
Coombes Church is a Church of England parish church in the rural hamlet of Coombes in the Adur District of West Sussex, England. It has served the rural parish, northwest of Shoreham-by-Sea and next to the River Adur, since the 11th century. Despite several rebuildings, some structural elements...
, a modern Tapsel gate dated 2003 links St Botolph's Church
St Botolph's Church, Botolphs
The Grade I listed Saxon church of St Botolph's at Botolphs, West Sussex, England, is situated in the valley of the River Adur and is now part of the Church of England parish of Beeding and Bramber with Botolphs. An earlier dedication to St Peter de Vetere Ponte is now lost, like the bridge over...
in Botolphs
Botolphs
Botolphs, formerly called Annington, is a tiny village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is in the Adur Valley southeast of Steyning on the road between Steyning and Coombes...
, West Sussex, with an adjacent burial ground.
No gates of the true Tapsel design have ever been reported outside Sussex, although variations on the concept have been seen occasionally. In 1896, for example, the Sussex Archaeological Society
Sussex Archaeological Society
The Sussex Archaeological Society, founded in 1846, is the largest county-based archaeological society in the UK. Its headquarters are in Lewes, Sussex...
used the name "Tapsel gate" in its description of a device which opened and closed by means of a wheel, chain, and counterweight
Counterweight
A counterweight is an equivalent counterbalancing weight that balances a load.-Uses:A counterweight is often used in traction lifts , cranes and funfair rides...
. This was at St. Leonard's Church in Heston
Heston
Heston is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London. It is a suburban development area, based on a former farming village west south-west of Charing Cross.-History:...
, Middlesex (now Greater London). The name also is used to describe gates of related, but not identical, design at St Wilfrid's Church in Burnsall
Burnsall
Burnsall is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Wharfe in Wharfedale, with a five-arched bridge over which the Dalesway passes, and is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is southeast of Hebden, along a river path dated...
, North Yorkshire (this gate is operated by a pulley mechanism), Hayes
Hayes, Hillingdon
Hayes is a town in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. It is a suburban development situated west of Charing Cross. Hayes was developed in the late 19th and 20th centuries as an industrial locality to which residential districts were later added in order to house factory workers...
in West London, and North Cerney in Gloucestershire (these are integrated into lychgate
Lychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, or as two separate words lych gate, is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.-Name:...
s rather than being free-standing).
Design
Tapsel gates are made of wood and are balanced on a solid wooden or metal pivot, instead of being hinged on one side. They can be opened easily, in either direction, with a small push; they therefore are much easier to negotiate than more typical gates. Common problems of side-hinged gates—heaviness and susceptibility to breakage, for example—are avoided. Also, a Tapsel gate can be opened in a smaller area than would be needed for a side-mounted gate. Because the gate is mounted in the centre of the opening in a wall, it effectively halves its width, which prevents passage by large animals, but allows people to pass through on either side easily. This characteristic is especially beneficial in churchyards, enabling pallbearerPallbearer
A pall-bearer is one of several funeral participants who helps carry the casket of a deceased person from a religious or memorial service or viewing either directly to a cemetery or mausoleum, or to and from the hearse which carries the coffin....
s to carry a coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
through a gate without difficulty.