A Peek Into Charleston's Preeminent Wrought Iron Legacy

The top of St. Michael's Church

In the iron hands of a blacksmith, it can be bent, twisted, and welded into whatever shape the imagination can dream up. Despite easily yielding to the geometric manipulations of the skillful smithy, it is equally rugged and impervious to corrosion. This pliable yet resilient alloy is known the world over as wrought iron. It was the preferred material for the crafting of window grates, boot scrapers, balconies, fences, gates and claire-voies by the discerning Charlestonian. The forged ornamental ironworks gracing the downtown peninsula of Charleston, conceived in inspiration and born by fire, are the most impressive public collection in the country. Most often painted black and sometimes Charleston green, during the 19th-century it was also painted in bright, vivid colors.

Though centuries have past and Charleston's old buildings and walls bear the colors of age, its decorative ironworks remain resolute. They stand as a symbol of the City's unwavering steadfastness in the face of the most unspeakable upheavals and as a testimony to its matchless charm and elegance. For anyone exploring the old thoroughfares from the French Quarter to the Lower Peninsula, the black iron fences and scrolled gates are not only visually stunning, but they also offer an unobstructed peek into another one of Charleston's treasures, the beautifully landscaped gardens beyond.

In the early colonial days of Charleston, wrought iron served more humble uses as nails, horseshoes, hinges and latches. Decorative wrought iron was imported from across the pond. It was placed as window grates and balconies. At the beginning of the 19th century, as the city grew in wealth and prestige, the demand for ornate ironworks spiraled. Three masters of the anvil stepped into the limelight, J.A.W. Iusti (1817-1895), Christopher Werner (1805-1875), and Frederic Julius Ortmann (1839-1899). All were immigrants from Germany. They blended old world ways with new world ideas and fashioned designs that spoke to the heart of Charleston and its intersecting cultures. Of the three, Werner's name stands out the most.

Unfortunately, the 19th century was an era when Charleston suffered the most unspeakable upheavals. Devastating fires, the turbulent Civil War, and a foundation shaking earthquake destroyed some of their masterpieces. Nonetheless, many of Werner's works survived.

Today a relatively quiet corner just south of the Old City Market, in the late 1830's Christopher Werner worked his magic at his foundry located near the intersection of Cumberland and State Street. It was there he produced one of Charleston's most preeminent ornamental wrought iron gates.

In 1838, architect Charles F. Reichardt was commissioned to design a new Guard House for use by the City Guard. Werner was chosen to produce the ironwork for the project, which would include a set of gates and window grilles. This is where the facts of the story get a little sketchy. The story puts forward the idea Werner misunderstood the request of a quartermaster for a "pair of gates" as meaning two sets of gates, so he created two identical pairs featuring horizontal swords.

One account says the ordered pair of Werner's sword gates was never actually installed at the Guard House--the city refused to pay what it considered too high a price. In any case, the wrought iron grilles with the same sword design were installed in the buildings windows. In 1861, the Guard House was damaged by the great fire of that year. In 1886, it was severely damaged by the earthquake and demolished. Whatever the true facts are, one set of the sword gates was preserved and eventually installed at the main entrance of The Citadel near Hampton Park along with the window grilles from the demolished Guard House. The Citadel opened in 1843. Exactly when the gates were installed is unclear.

As for the other set of Werner's sword gates, British consul George Hopley bought the original Solomon Legare property at 32 Legare Street in 1849 and added a new wing to the existing house, which was Madame Talvande's French School for Young Ladies at the time. In that same year, Copley acquired one of the pair of sword gates and installed it in the property's high brick wall. The celebrated residence is now known as the Sword Gate House.

More of Werner's works:


The Nathaniel Russell House balcony with his initials on Meeting Street

The Harp Gate at the Hibernian Hall on Meeting Street

The John Rutledge House ironworks painted Charleston green on Broad Street

Other wrought iron masterpieces, fences and gates located throughout Charleston:

Many books and articles have been written about Charleston's famed wrought iron legacy. An age old legacy that is second to none. Walking the sidewalks along the oak draped, black fence-lined corridors South of Broadway bestows on you a sense of serenity and reverence. A proud history zealously guarded as elegantly as the City's wrought iron fences and gates guards its most cherished properties. I hope you enjoyed my telling and photographs.