A drive in Knebworth,
opened by hand for thirty years.
A pair of Tudor-revival twin-leaf gates, hung between hand-built brick piers, for a family who'd lived in the house since 1986.
Location
Knebworth, Herts
Installed
March 2024
Material
Wrought iron
Motor
BFT Sub underground
No.
001
§ 01The brief
"Something that looks as though it's always been there — and will still be there when my grandchildren have grandchildren."
The owners had lived in the house since 1986 and operated the gates by hand since day one. They wanted automation, but not at the cost of the gate's character — so we started with the gate, not the motor.
The brief was Tudor revival — matching the period detail of the Edwardian house: gothic arches, fleur-de-lis finials, and a proportional width-to-height ratio derived from the existing gatepost spacing.
◆ Technical elevation drawing
Pencil on cartridge, 1:10 scale
§ 02The drawing
Every bar, drawn before it's forged.
Gate typeTwin-leaf swing
MaterialWrought iron
Width4.2m clear opening
Height1.8m to tip
MotorBFT Sub underground
ControlRemote + video intercom
PiersHand-built brick, Flemish bond
Guarantee5 years · Parts & labour
§ 03In the workshop
Six weeks at the forge. Every bar by hand.
◆ Stage I — The drawing wall
I
The drawing wall
Full-scale elevation in pencil before a single bar is cut.
◆ Stage II — Forging the ironwork
II
Forging the ironwork
Six weeks at the forge — every bar, ring and finial by hand.
◆ Stage III — The piers
III
The piers
Reclaimed brick, Flemish bond, lime mortar. Eight days on-site.
◆ Stage IV — The first opening
IV
The first opening
Force-tested to BS-EN 13241. Then left running for 24 hours.
§ 04The details
The parts you notice on the way past.
◆ Finial detail · Fleur-de-lis cast iron
◆ Gate latch · Hand-forged
◆ Pier capstone · Limestone
◆ Hinge detail · Solid pintle
◆ Motor housing · BFT Sub
◆ Gate open · Full view from drive
§ 05In their words
"
They drew the gate by hand, on a piece of card, sitting at our kitchen table. Three months later, that drawing was standing at the end of our drive — exactly, to the millimetre.
Mrs. H — Knebworth
Twin-leaf iron, stone piers · Installed March 2024
Next project
No. 002 — Bishop's Stortford
A 6-metre cantilever sliding gate with oak infill panels — where the brief was to disappear entirely into the garden wall when open.
◆ No. 002 · Bishop's Stortford
Cantilever sliding, oak infill panels