gatehouse

A gatehouse is a building that forms or accompanies the entry to a site, located at a gate or entrance and often serving as the residence or workplace of a gatekeeper and as a security checkpoint. Gatehouses occur at castles, walled towns, manor houses, and modern gated communities.

Historically, in medieval fortifications the gatehouse was a principal defensive element. It typically housed a gate, sometimes with a portcullis or drawbridge, and could be paired with a barbican or other barriers to slow attackers and control access. Inside, a guardroom or porter’s lodge provided shelter for guards and stored keys, tolls, or records. The gatehouse was designed to channel and monitor entry while contributing to the overall defense of the enclosing works.

Architecturally, gatehouses range from simple lodges to elaborate fortified structures. Features may include towers, crenellations, archways, murder holes, arrow slits, and machicolations. The gatehouse can be integrated into walls or stand as a stand-alone structure, and its design often reflects both security needs and the architectural style of the surrounding buildings.

In modern contexts, gatehouses commonly serve as security checkpoints for private estates, corporate campuses, or gated communities. They may be unmanned or staffed and can include administrative offices, intercom systems, and controlled-access technology. Some historic gatehouses have been repurposed as residences, museums, or administrative buildings, preserving their historical significance while accommodating contemporary use.

Etymology stems from the combination of gate and house, with the term appearing in English in the medieval period.