Building    From 120  To 1760

Cripplegate

Categories: London Wall

Cripplegate was originally the northern entrance to the Roman fort, built c.AD120. This Roman gate probably remained in use until at least the late Saxon period when it is mentioned in 10th and 11th century documents. The gate was rebuilt in the 1490's. Throughout its history Cripplegate had a variety of uses. It was leased as accommodation and also, like the more famous Newgate, used as a prison.

After the restoration of Charles II in 1660 all of the City gates were unhinged and the portcullises wedged open making ceremonial entrances before being demolished.

Cripplegate gave access to a substantial medieval suburb and of the village of Islington. Extra defensive works outside the gate gave rise to the name Barbican which was subsequently taken as the name for the post-WW2 rebuilding of the area.

The information above comes from an information board about the London Wall, at the Cripplegate site.

Cripplegate would have been across Wood Street at the site of the plaque with London Wall extending from it, to the east and to the west.

Cripplegate was demolished in 1760. Temple Bar was the last gate to be demolished, in 1878. The others were: Aldgate, Aldersgate, Bishopsgate, Ludgate, Moorgate and Newgate.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Cripplegate

Commemorated ati

Cripplegate

Site of Cripplegate, demolished 1760. Corporation of the City of London

Read More

Other Subjects

Medieval bastion

Medieval bastion

First conserved in 1959 by the Ministry of Works when it was in the basement of the then new General Post Office.  The picture source is a report by the developers of the current building. 

Building, London Wall

1 memorial
Newgate

Newgate

Newgate was the western exit through the Roman London Wall. In later years the gate house was about 100 feet wide. Part of this building was used, from at least the 12th century, as a prison and th...

Building, London Wall

1 memorial
Bishopsgate

Bishopsgate

Originally Roman, rebuilt in 1471, again in 1735 and then demolished in 1760. See British History On-line for a drawing of the last gate). See Cripplegate for the full list of 8 gates of old London.

Building, London Wall

1 memorial
Moor Gate

Moor Gate

This gate was made in the London Wall early in the 15th century to allow access to Moor Fields, marshy moor-land outside the wall. By 1606 the area had been improved and became London's first publi...

Building, London Wall

1 memorial
Aldgate

Aldgate

Originally a Roman gate it was rebuilt a number of times:  1108–47, 1215, 1607-09. As a customs official Chaucer lived in the rooms above the gate, 1374-1386. The Cass Charity school used the upper...

Building, London Wall

2 memorials