In the 13th century the monks of St Werburgh's Abbey had developed a vegetable garden (known as the kaleyard) outside the city walls. They wanted an easier route to access the kaleyard than the longer walk through Eastgate so they petitioned Edward I in 1275 to allow them to cut a gate through the wall to provide direct access to the garden. This he allowed under certain conditions, one of which was that it must be locked at nightfall.
The gate consists of a simple opening in the sandstone wall containing a door.
Door in Kaleyard Gate showing the notice about closing the gate
