Westgate (West gate) – a medieval gate with a height of 18 meters, located in Canterbury, Kent. Before the city was surrounded by a fortified wall, consisting of seven such gates, but remained only these. The gate is made of Kentish limestone, had been built in 1379 and are the largest surviving city gate in England. Over the gate of the tower, two round towers. Gates still serve as the entrance to the city, they are spacious enough that they could drive a double-Decker bus. In 1908 at the gate was opened the Museum, but now it is temporarily closed.

In place of modern Western gate stood before the Roman gate that served as the main entrance to the city. The main purpose of the erection of the new gate was considered an attraction in Canterbury greater number of pilgrims who visited the tomb of Thomas Becket. However, given the possibility of a military invasion of the French army, the gate was built as more of a defensive structure, as evidenced by the loopholes and narrow spiral staircases to climb the tower.

The West gate towers consist of three floors each in the fifteenth century were cut loopholes, making a total of about 18. In the halls on each tower with fireplaces. In 1491-1492, on the second floor of the tower was cut through a large window facing East, right on Cathedral. From the towers you can climb to the roof, which was never completed, probably due to the outbreak of the Peasant revolt in 1381. In 1793-1794, the roof was built a square lantern, preserved to this day.

By order of king Henry VI in Westgate with 1453 housed the city jail. In the nineteenth century was a ruined castle wall. In 1823-1829, North gate housed the premises of the jailer, subsequently converted into a police station, and now it is a music school. In the late nineteenth century in the building of Westgate housed the city archives.

Through the Western gate was held writer Joffrey Chaucer during his pilgrimage to the tomb of Thomas Becket. Through this gate passed and English monarchs, including king George VI in 1948.

After the Christmas rebellion of 1648 the parliamentary troops burned the wooden doors of the city gate, rebuilt in 1660, but was again destroyed in the late eighteenth century.

Since 1908 in the building of the West gate of the Museum, both as open tower, you can climb to the roof and enjoy the view of Canterbury. Among the exhibits of the Museum are weapons, starting with the Civil war and ending with world war II. You can also descend into a prison cell. Children are allowed to try on a copy of military uniforms.

In 1908, the Museum has exhibited copies of bronze sculptures depicting 16 barons and two bishops who are signatories to the Magna Carta. Original sculpture, is cast in the years 1847-1851, now kept in the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster. Some of the sculptures exhibited in the Museum, some were lost, and then again found in one of the towers. It is known that preserved sculpture depicting Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton, the fate of five sculptures are still unknown.