Bishop Wilson’s Gate

The Theme

The western entrance gate is a celebration of the life of Bishop Wilson, whose episcopacy was the longest recorded in Sodor and Man. He was Bishop for 57 years from 1698 – 1755. He is remembered primarily for his pastoral care, for his interest in education and in improving the farming practices here in the Island as well as for building and restoring churches.

The Design 

The Wilson Gate of the Cathedral is currently the most dramatic entrance to the Cathedral, but is hidden in the townscape of Peel. The Centenary Centre wall to the north will have a mural which draws its inspiration from Bishop Wilson’s elaborate bureau housed in the Manx Museum, Douglas. The panels will have reliefs of nine of the key churches that Bishop Wilson built or extended.  

Either side of the entrance are beds surrounded by box hedging containing pot marigolds and Agapanthus and rising out of these is an avenue of 12 pairs of pleached Beech trees (11 pairs of Common Beech and a pair of Copper Beech). Bishop Wilson was alarmed at the deforestation of the Isle of Man and encouraged tree planting. The Avenue of Beech symbolise the 12 trees planted by Bishop Wilson at his home at Bishopscourt to represent the disciples, with the Copper Beech symbolising the tree that died and was always spoken of as the Judas tree. The present trees were planted in 2012 in honour of the Queen (The Lord of Man) on her Diamond Jubilee. Eventually it is hoped to have a rill running down the centre of the drive.

Saint John Henry Newman described Bishop Wilson as:

‘A burning and shining light …  he seemed like the Baptist in an evil time, as if a beacon lighted on his small island to show what his Lord and Saviour could do in spite of man’ 

Today

Thomas Wilson remains an inspiration in the Church of our own day. His love for the Isle of Man is visible in his portrait in the Cathedral. Bishops by convention had their portraits painted with a hand on the Bible, instead, Bishop Wilson has his hand on a map of the Island.