Oxford Inscriptions: Littlegate town gate
THIS IS THE SITE OF THE FORMER
LITTLEGATE, SOMETIMES KNOWN AS
LITTLE SOUTH GATE FIRST MENTIONED
IN 1244 AND ONE OF THE SEVEN
MEDIEVAL GATES OF THE CITY OF
OXFORD. EXCAVATIONS IN 1971
AND 1972 UNCOVERED THE FOOTINGS
OF THE WEST SIDE OF THE GATE
AND THE 13TH CENTURY CITY WALL
The Little Gate (or Little South Gate was at the exact point where St Ebbe’s Street runs south and suddenly becomes Littlegate Street, and explains why what is now a continuous road suddenly has a change of name here. It also is in line with the remains of the city wall that run along the north side of Brewer Street.
It was earlier known as Water Gate, and had a small arched gateway for pedestrians and a larger one for carts. The pedestrian arch survived until 1798. This engraving by Skelton shows the ruins of the old gate.