Charleston's iron gates and fences

Walk the older streets of the peninsula and you'll notice the gates before the houses. Iron gates by a single blacksmith, Philip Simmons, can be found all over the city, and plenty of homeowners in West Ashley or on Daniel Island want a fence that borrows the look.

Philip Simmons

The best-known name in Charleston ironwork is Philip Simmons (1912–2009), a blacksmith for 78 years. He made more than 500 ornamental pieces, from gates and fences to balconies and window grilles. Five of his gates line Stolls Alley, and his iron arch crowns the entry gate of Buist Academy. He received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1982, and a commemorative garden at St. John's Reformed Episcopal Church at 91 Anson Street is maintained in his honor.

The setting: single houses and piazzas

The Charleston single house, the city's most famous building style, sits with its long side perpendicular to the street, with a piazza on the south or west side to catch the breeze. Fences and gates on these lots often run along the street and into a side garden, so the gate becomes the front door to the yard.

The Board of Architectural Review

Charleston created its Board of Architectural Review in 1931 to oversee the preservation of buildings in the historic district. If a property is inside its purview, a new fence or gate needs a BAR application along with the permit. Expect the board to care about proportion, material and how the fence relates to the house and street.

Getting the look outside the historic district

• Aluminum panels with spear or finial tops give a similar profile without the upkeep of steel.
• Iron or steel gates set between brick or stucco piers make a strong entry even with a simpler fence.
• Low fences along the street keep the garden visible, which is part of the traditional look.

Prices vary widely: Angi's national survey puts wrought iron at $25 to $55 per linear foot and aluminum at $17 to $90, and custom gates sit well above standard panels.