History
West Gate was one of three town gates through the medieval town wall. The gate is understood to have existed in 1129 at which time it already had a chapel set over it. The archway and chapel that now exist are thought to have been reconstructed in the late 14th century and were extended to the west the following century, at which time the tower and its tierceron vaults were added. The roadway used to pass under the archway until diverted around to the south, circa 1860.
The Lord Leycester Hospital website advises that the original chapel was built by Roger de Newburgh, the second Norman Earl of Warwick in 1126. Under a licence issued by King Richard II on 20 April 1383, the Guild of St George was created. In 1386 Thomas Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick granted the benefice of the Chapel to the Guild and rebuilt it. The tower was added and the gate underneath was extended.
In the 1860s an extensive restoration of the chapel was undertaken by Sir Gilbert Scott. To the south, the town wall beside the West Gate was demolished and the High Street now skirts the Chapel on the southern side, rather than through the archway. The photo above dates from the 1860s, prior to the addition of the flying buttresses that now support the south wall of the chapel.
West Gate is jointly listed with St James Chapel and Historic England’s listing description states:
Late C14, perhaps incorporating earlier structure and on the site of a gate extant from at least 1129. Extended west and west tower added early C15. A part of the medieval town defences. Ground floor has pointed arches either end of ribbed vault. First floor chapel extensively restored 1863-5 by G G Scott who redesigned the windows, rebuilt parapet walks, added flying buttresses and refurnished the interior. VCH, viii, pp.420, 532.