Curly wurly

Strangely I've never noticed this remarkable gate before. It belongs to The Old Pump House in Fishguard High Street, a listed building that was once a pub called the Bristol Trader (there was seagoing commerce between here and there) until it was closed in 1919. The house subsequently became the home of one of Fishguard's best known residents, the teacher, writer and Welsh nationalist D.J.Williams (See him here.).

I wondered how old the gate is and whether it was made in the town's own iron foundry which was located not much more than a stone's throw away. Evidently it escaped the wartime uprooting of iron gates and railings to boost the supply of metals for munitions. A snatch of old Pathe newsreel conveys the sense of urgency at the time. However it appears that the ironware collected for recycling proved unsuitable for purpose and the whole vast quantity of London's park railings was quietly dumped, according to this.
Just as well this one survived the cull. It's reminiscent of the fern tendrils uncurling right now along the hedgerows.

The attractive house itself can be seen my Blipfolio here.