Heaven's Gate, Longleat Estate, near Warminster
Heaven's Gate, Longleat Estate, Near Warminster...
Visiting Heaven's Gate...
Free parking is available opposite the entrance to Heaven's Gate, but beware of thieves as they have been active there. Whilst there is sometimes an ice cream van at the car park there are no other facilities (including no toilets!). The nearest pub to Heaven's Gate is the Bath Arms at Horningsham, which can be walked to - if you have the stamina. Entrance to Heaven's Gate is free and from there you can walk down to Longleat House and attractions. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on leads and their mess taken away.
The handsome beech woods at the approach to Heaven's Gate give way to an avenue of azaleas - a welcome dazzle of early colour in spring. Heaven’s Gate is a Capability Brown designed viewpoint overlooking Longleat House and estate, and beyond to the Somerset countryside. As the photos show Heaven's Gate is beautiful at any time of year, the sunsets can be especially spectacular.
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The Heaven's Gate Sculptures...
In 2001 the 7th Marquess of Bath, Alexander Thynn, unveiled granite stones at Heaven's Gate, commissioned by him to mark the Millennium. Nine of the stones measure over 15ft tall and the heaviest weighs 19 tons. They were created by the sculptor Paul Norris. At the time Lord Bath commented "Heaven's Gate has always been one of my favourite places. It is a truly beautiful, magical place. These magnificent stone sculptures evoke and reflect that awesome natural beauty without imposing on it." In the right light tiny crystals and metals embedded within the stones are reflected. "This makes each sculpture appear to glow and shimmer, adding to the magic and mystery. I'm hopeful that the stones will remain in place for hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years and become, over time, an integral part of the Longleat landscape.".
Though some may relate the stones to nearby Stonehenge Paul Norris deliberately left the meaning of the stones up to each visitor to decide. The sculptures for the Millennium project at Heaven's Gate are simple in shape so as to stand quietly in this special place, The sculptor Paul Norris worked on these stones for two years whilst living on the Estate and carved the stones inspired by his surroundings.
As Paul has stated "Longleat uplifts my spirit and I know it does many others that live and visit this part of Wiltshire. My idea was for the work to blend into the atmosphere of Longleat and to be part of its future. The sculptures are figurative in an animal way but are as much to do with the landscape as with the animals.".
"The granite stone I used came from Mabe in Cornwall and is extremely hard. Most of the hand carving was done in my workshop but the cutting and formation of the circular stone was completed at the quarry."
"Heaven's Gate is a magnificent place of beauty where people spend time absorbing the splendour of Longleat House and its Park. My intention was to convey beauty through emotion rather than attract attention by art. I hope that the sculptures will act as a greeting place rather than an attraction as they are set back from the viewpoint. The Millennium was the end of one era and the beginning of another which encouraged excitement and hope for the future. Longleat is so very special as it changes with the times but holds on to its deep rooted history."
A map showing the car park for Heaven's Gate
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the path to Heaven's Gate
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