garydwiddington - Oak Church Garden Gate

Oak Church Garden Gate

I was planning to create a new garden gate for our home, Rectory Cottage. As the cottage has a traditional and historic character, I felt that a gate with a subtle church-inspired design would complement it beautifully. I recall seeing a particularly striking gate on an old church many years ago, and that memory inspired me to incorporate a similar theme into our own design.

I purchased the oak from our local sawmill and after a long chat with the owner, who's always up for a long chat I managed to get a very good deal on a couple of nice looking oak boards 20" x 2 3/4" that we had sorted out and three 15"x 1 1/2" wide boards for the panels plus two 5"x 5" oak for the post and a 9" x 9" for another post needed for another gate all at a very good price...

After bringing the timber home, the first step was to prepare and measure all the pieces. The main frame was cut from the 20" x 2¾" oak boards, ensuring each piece was square and straight. Using the full-scale drawing as a reference, I marked out the joints — traditional mortise and tenon — for strength and a clean, classic look.

Once all the joints were cut, I did a dry fit to make sure everything lined up properly before gluing and clamping the frame together. Oak is a dense wood, so sharp chisels and plenty of patience were essential to get a good, tight fit.

Next came the panels, made from the 15" x 1½" boards. These were planed smooth and fitted neatly into the frame grooves. I left a small gap around each panel to allow for natural movement in the wood over time.

After assembly, I sanded the entire gate to remove any rough edges and highlight the beautiful oak grain. For the finish, I left it natural.

Finally, the gate was hung using heavy-duty black iron hinges on the two 5" x 5" oak posts. The extra 9" x 9" post was set aside for another gate project later on. Once everything was in place and level, the result was a solid, attractive gate that perfectly complements the style of Rectory Cottage — traditional, durable, and full of character.

Drawn to full scale

Out came the planer thicknesser

All squared up

Looking good

Cutting the Tenons on the bench saw

After re ripping and squaring the oak, it was time to start setting out the mortise and tenons, There's something very satisfying about using the mortiser.

Finishing off the tenons on the bench.

Running the grooves and stopped grooves

One of many a dry fits

The home made router table set up for the stop cove mouldings

Just getting an idea of what the gate will look like.

Clean up time

The router did leave some burn marks. Mostly on the stop cove. The biggest problem I had was I had to drop the timber onto the router cutter from above. A couple of burn marks is not a big price to pay for the stop cove look.

Hand scraping each panels to give a snug fit.
As each oak panel is just on an inch thick this is going to be a slow job.

Marking out the Gothic lancet window on the oak panels

Lancet window
Each oak window panel is slightly different. I'm looking for the hand made look and as it happens most of the work on these panels was done by hand

Well that's about it for the gate just got to make the oak dowels and then glue and cramp up.
My very very simple dowel maker jig. You can make any size dowel with a jig like this. I think the biggest dowel I have made was one and a quarter inches and the smallest was three sixteenths.

All you need is a drill and a router, Oh and a block of scrap wood. knock the arris off the edges of the oak

Fit the blank into the drill

Switch on router, insert the oak blank switch the drill on push the blank slowly into the hole and thats it.
For the centre panel I wanted to do something different

Effigy is of John Greene, 1400- 1473
From our local church St.Mary the Virgin
In 1872 This little 14th century Brass effigy was found beneath the old stone church floor.
When the brass civilian was discovered it was still affixed to its stone slab. After the restoration of the church it was affixed to the north wall of the Nave, where it can be seen to this day the brass effigy is of John Greene, 1400- 1473 the dress and hairstyle is of that era. He originated from Cheshire After marring Anges Duke, of Widdington Hall, and maybe after her fathers death he took over the Hall and made Widdington his home. He was a gentleman of great worship and a patron of the church.