Christchurch Gateway, Canterbury Possibly 1854 - 1857

This is Benjamin Brecknell Turner's photograph of Christchurch Gateway, Canterbury. Turner, who lived from 1815 to 1894, created this image using the salted paper print method, a process that allowed for a softness and depth that mirrored the romantic sensibilities of the Victorian era. The photograph presents us with a layered narrative of British society. There's the medieval architecture that speaks to the history of the church, deeply entwined with the nation's power structures, and then, beside the gate, a draper's shop – Banks – a sign of the burgeoning merchant class that characterized the economic landscape of the time. Turner’s choice to capture this gateway is both a preservation of the architectural past and an acknowledgment of the shifting social dynamics. The play of light and shadow across the rough stonework evokes a sense of timelessness, but the adjacent commercial establishment reminds us of the relentless march of progress and change. It is a reminder that history and identity are always being reshaped by the present.