Westgate Tower is a medieval gateway situated in Wexford Town, close to the grounds of Selskar Abbey.
Despite its common name, the structure is actually Selskar Gate, a gate that provided private access to the abbey rather than to the town. Wexford’s medieval town wall had six defended public gates, none of which was Selskar Gate. The tower was built by Sir Stephen Devereux in the 13th century on the instructions of King Henry III and functioned as a toll gate, with a toll-taking area, cells for offenders, and rooms for guards.
At the time, Wexford Town was enclosed and protected by a large defensive wall. Construction of the wall began in the years that followed the arrival of the Normans in 1169 and was traditionally thought to have been started by King John and finished in 1300 by Sir Stephen Devereux.
Unlike many other walled towns, Wexford was not walled on the seaward side. The walls covered approximately 1.2 km and enclosed an area of about 25 hectares. Around 800 m of the walls still survive today.
There has been some confusion over the years, as this entrance was not originally called West Gate. West Gate was another entrance located less than 50 metres away, often referred to as “the castle in Selskar.”
The original West Gate was situated on the current R730 regional road, a few metres east of Selskar College. This road is also named Westgate.
The tower that stands today did not provide public access to the town. Instead, it was part of the grounds that surrounded Selskar Abbey, parts of which existed both inside and outside the town wall. This private entrance would have allowed clergy members to bring goods into the abbey complex without having to pay a toll.
This entrance is Wexford’s only surviving medieval gateway, as John’s Gate, West Gate, Kayser’s Gate, Peter’s Gate, Bride Gate, and Castle Gate have all since been demolished.
Its lack of street access likely saved it from demolition, as the other gates in the town were removed to facilitate the growth in traffic.
The “castle” visible on top of Selskar Gate is a Norman tower house that was likely added in the 1300s.
The confusion over the name appears to have stemmed from the removal of the original West Gate, which was also called Cow Gate. After its removal in 1759, the name West Gate lived on via the street name that is still used today. The alternative name Cow Gate has only added to the confusion. In the years that followed, people began to use the name West Gate to describe the tower at Selskar Gate, and over time Selskar Gate began to lose its true identity.
The tower at Selskar was restored during the 1980s. Before its restoration, the top of the tower was in a poor state, as the battlements had been eroded and the walls were completely covered in ivy. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the land outside the wall was cleared and redeveloped. Wild shrubs were removed, and a pathway was installed before the area was opened to the general public. Before its redevelopment, the area consisted of a dirt path that wound through dense trees and overgrown thorn bushes.
Heritage Centre
The building beside Selskar Gate is home to the Westgate Heritage Centre, which provides a presentation on the history of Wexford Town. At the centre, visitors can see what rooms looked like inside the walls of a Norman fortification. Walking tours of the town are also available.
Map
A map showing its location: