Re-gilding the Golden Gates of Burghley House

Name: Burghley House
Price range: $

Discover why Burghley’s iconic Tijou Gates have been taken away for vital conservation.

The Tijou Gates, situated on the west front of the House, have famously stood the test of time for over three centuries.

Jean Tijou, a French master blacksmith and renowned metalworker of the late 17th century, was widely acclaimed for his mastery of decorative ironwork. His craftsmanship was associated with several key English Baroque buildings, including the gates and railings of Hampton Court Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, Kensington Palace, Chatsworth House, and Burghley House.

While the exact date when Tijou began working on the North and West ‘Tijou’ Gates remains uncertain, a drawing of these famous gates appears in his book, New Book of Designs, published in 1693. Records indicate that Tijou was paid £150 by the 6th Earl’s trustees in 1704.

In earlier times, private guests and visitors approaching Burghley from the west would catch their first glimpse of the gates from a distance.

Where have the Tijou Gates gone, and why?

The last major restoration of the Tijou Gates took place in 1997, involving their dismantling, repair and re-gilding. Although the repairs at the time were sufficient, they were not entirely satisfactory. Within two decades, the gilding began to show signs of degradation, with extensive corrosion beneath the surface leading to rust bleeding through.

In order to preserve and restore the historic fabric of Burghley’s famous golden gates, they have been sent to Topp & Co, leading architectural metalworkers from North Yorkshire. Advances in conservation practices and paint systems for preparing surfaces for gilding will ensure that this 21st-century project employs the most up-to-date techniques and finest materials. The firm’s extensive experience with 17th-century ironwork will be invaluable in this project.

Returning to Burghley soon...

We expect the gleaming gates of Burghley House to return in early 2025.

Previous Restoration of the Tijou Gates

Records indicate that the west gates were cleaned and regilded during the late 19th century.
The gates suffered significant damage from a bomb that fell in the Park in 1940. Extensive repairs were carried out locally at Mirlees Blackstone’s workshop. However, a delay between the repairs and re-gilding allowed rust to take hold, ultimately causing the gilding to fail.
It is believed that Lady Exeter funded further re-gilding as a gift to her husband after he inherited the estate in 1957.

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