The lich stone appears here; on it the bier was 
rested in entering 
A quaint roof shelter of large flat tiles protects the sturdy, centuries-old oak tim¬ 
bering in posts and brackets 
Lich Gates as a Practical Suggestion 
by Russell Fisher 
I N this day of the increasing popularity of entrance gateways, 
to garden and grounds, there is a very practical and helpful 
suggestion in the old Lich gates of England. This form of 
entrance to a churchyard originated thirteen hundred years ago, 
fell out of use for a time, but seems again to be coming into its 
own. In England, previous to the Revolution, it was the cus¬ 
tom for the friends of the deceased to carry the body to the 
churchyard, waiting at the entrance until the arrival of the offi¬ 
ciating clergyman. For this reason the entrance gate came to 
be roofed over, and it nearly always sheltered a lich stone on 
which the bier was laid while the funeral procession halted. 
Lich gates were usually built of wood, on a stone base, so 
there are few, if any, in existence that date back four centuries. 
There is much in the picturesque mass and sturdy dignified con¬ 
struction of these passing monuments that should serve as an 
inspiration for garden entrances of to-day. 
I; 
T 
Without the cross and with somewhat lighter 
construction this would make a modern gateway 
All the sturdy, time-mellowed oak framework is put together with heavy project¬ 
ing dowel pins and mortises 
( 36 ) 
