Church Gates Galore

Turn an unsuspecting corner in Charleston and you are likely to find yourself in the vicinity of something beautiful. Take, for example, St. John’s Lutheran Church on the corner of Archdale and Clifford whose spectacular wrought-iron gates are passed by hundreds of cars and nearly as many pedestrians a day. If you happen to be one, or in one of them, do yourself a favor. Pause on your walk, get out of your car, and have a good look at the massive yet delicate workmanship that has been on display here for some two hundred years.

Front gate of St. John’s Lutheran Church

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This first photo shows the central of three gates at the front of the church, on Archdale Street. Notice the lace-like design on its vertical sides and in the top and lower-middle horizontal pieces.

The sides and top are beautifully joined by two square corner pieces whose emblem echos yet varies the same design, and which are capped with exquisite S-scrolls, a small heart, a ball, and a star.

That might have even been enough, but the designers thought to add the large crown (which in this photo is unfortunately not easy to see against the window behind it). The overall effect—and there are three of these gates at the front—is grandiose, to say the least. It is almost too much for the proportions of the portico that houses them.

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Side gate on Clifford Street

Compare that design to the one on this side gate just around the corner on Clifford Street. The general design is similar, but the theme and variations are wonderfully different. Of note are the doors of this gate which are topped with spear heads. The swooping design also matches the undulating fence that stretches along Clifford Street. Notice, too, the marvelously varied patterns in the lower-middle horizontal panel. If J.S. Bach had been a metal worker, he would have designed gates like this one.

Detail of front gate

Shown below are details of both gates. Notice how the caps above the two side panels on each gate echo but vary from each other. And look at the large crown on the second gate: the intricate design, and the two smaller scroll-heart-ball-star pieces which tie in nicely with the ‘parent’ caps on each side. This is as exquisite as wrought-iron gets. ¶

Detail of side gate