The Watergate is the oldest surviving structure in Bridgwater, and one of the few remaining fragments of the medieval castle. After the main gate, which was near the Cornhill, this would have been the only other entrance to the castle, which allowed access for goods and people arriving by ship from the Quay.
You will see that the outer arch is a bit of mess; this is rather sloppy rebuild, which included brick. However once you have passed through and turned around you will see the finely carved original arches. The style of these rounded arches are referred to as Romanesque and can be dated to William Briwere’s construction of the castle in the years around 1200. The length of the gate gives a good impression of the huge width of the castle wall. There is also a small door contained within the Watergate, which hides a small alcove where a guard or customs official would have stood.
Although the gate is somewhat gloomy in these pictures, the stone was once a bright yellow, which came from Ham Hill. The Quay was further below this and was submerged at high tide and town made considerable expense in regularly paying men to clear the mud off it. Some idea as to how the Watergate once looked can be gauged from the two seals of Medieval Bridgwater. On the older seal of the Commonality we see an ornate wooden door; on the later borough seal we see an iron portcullis.
