Shields Road, Church of St. Mary, lych gate

This Lytch (meaning ‘corpse’) gate for use during funerals was financed by public subscription, in memory of George V, and all those who worked on it were local people. It stands on a cyclopean rusticated sandstone plinth wall, quarried from the local area, and is crowned with a distinctive clay tiled gambrel roof, with a welcoming gable to the entrance. Between the two, panels of timberwork adorned with tracery appear as glass-free windows onto the churchyard. The whole composition is well-built in good quality, natural materials, and it makes a statement as a grand and solid entrance to the attractive Grade II Listed St. Mary’s Church. MATERIALS Sandstone (Heworth Burn Quarry), Tiles (Foster’s Pelaw Brickworks) BUILDER Stone: Tate, Brown & Co Woodwork & Gates: Pelaw CWS Cabinet Works Tiling: William Knott. DATES 1936 proposed, 1937 dedicated. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION It was moved from its original position in 1958 when the Felling By-Pass was built. LOCAL LIST