Wrought Iron Property Fence with Brass (BP223)

BP223 was made to enclose a huge park and palace. Long runs of panels between stone pillars carry brass decorations that catch the sun.

We regularly combine wrought iron with non-ferrous metals such as brass, bronze, copper or even gold.

A fence for a palace and its park

BP223 was designed to enclose a large park around a palace, so it had to work over a very long distance. The answer is a calm, regular structure: dark green-black panels of upright bars set between cream stone pillars, repeated span after span along the road. On this quiet base the eye picks up the brass details, medallions and gilded emblems at the centre of the panels, which glow in the sun and mark the rhythm of the fence.

Along this estate the fence follows a curving drive lined with low shrubs and mature trees. From a distance it reads as a clean, elegant line; up close, the brass ornament and the careful detailing of the bars reveal the craftsmanship.

Steel with brass, bronze and copper

Combining wrought iron with non-ferrous metals is one of the oldest tricks of palace ironwork. Brass and bronze stay warm and bright where painted steel stays dark, so even a small medallion becomes a focal point. We forge the steel structure, while the brass elements are shaped, chased and polished separately and fixed to the panels with concealed screws or rivets, so that they can be cleaned or re-polished without dismantling the fence.

Copper is another option: it darkens over the years and develops a soft green-brown patina, which suits old parks and historic estates. For the most representative projects we can also gild selected details with gold leaf.

Brass accents also make care simple: when the steel is washed, the brass is just wiped down and, if you like the bright look, polished again.

Planning a fence hundreds of metres long

On an estate the fence may run for hundreds of metres, often over uneven ground. Before production we survey the line, mark the positions of the pillars and divide the length into spans of equal width, so that the ornament falls in the same place on every panel. Changes of level are handled by stepping the panels or by raking them along the slope, whichever looks better on the site.

Long runs also need consistent quality. Every panel is made to the same drawing and checked against a template before it leaves the workshop, which is why the finished line looks perfectly regular even where the road bends.

• stone, brick or rendered pillars with matching caps,
• brass, bronze or gilded medallions and emblems,
• driveway gates and service gates in the same pattern,
• a dark green, black or graphite finish for the steel.

Manor proportions that do not date

The design draws on manor and palace architecture, but it is restrained enough to suit a modern residence too. Its strength lies in proportion and rhythm rather than in the quantity of ornament, which is why fences of this kind stay in fashion for decades. Estate fences in other patterns, some with brass and some without, are collected under wrought iron fences for estates and homes.