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Due to the location of the gate at Sun Street, traffic and
pedestrians need to be able to acces and pass the gate at all
times.

It is also not only the main entrance for tourists but acts as
the entry point for emergency vechicles.

This has led to the workmen only being able to put up the
scaffolding between 6am and 8.45am every morning.

It will take two weeks to put up and two weeks to take down,
leaving three weeks in between for the initial investigations to
take place.

The project is estimated to cost £2 million to complete.
However, until experts have finished examining the structure an
exact figure cannot be calculated.

The scaffolding will allow all the interested bodies and experts
to gain acces to the gate and take a careful look.

They will asses the condition and put together a feasibility
study which will then be used to help plan a campaign of
conservation.

The work schedule will be designed to try and keep as much of
what is there already in place for as long as possible.

Time has taken its toll and intial observations from the ground
have found that some stone will need to be replaced or
repaired.

Some of the structure, which has been added during previous
interventions,
will also be kept.

The last major campaign of repair on the Christ Church gate was
in the 1920s and 1930s.

It was the first big project by the Friends of Canterbury
Cathedral and was descibed as pioneering for its time.

Experts will work towards uncovering the mystery behind the date
carved onto the front of the gate.

It has been an area of controversy and some believe it may be
incorrect.

The restoration project will also include the repair of the 17th
century wooden gates which replaced those burnt in the Civil
War.

Heather Newton, head of stone masonry and stone conservation at
Canterbury Cathedral, said: "The restoration work is tremendously
important.

"With any Cathedral there will always be a maintenance
programme, but sometimes you have to have a big push to get on top
of the work.

"The Christ Church Gate is a wonderful example of renaissance
architecture and the only one of its kind in Canterbury.

"For a while now we have been concerned about its condition and
it is deteriorating. We want to clean it up and make it tidier.

"It was designed to be a decorative entrance and at the moment
it isn’t looking at its best, so we can do a lot to improve it.

"The project is difficult logistically as we have to keep it
open at all times so we can continue welcoming our guests.

"The cathedral is at the heart of the city and the reason many
visit Canterbury.

"It has benefits for so many and it is in everyones interest to
keep the building maintained.

"It is also a tremendous art object and means a lot
internationally as a world heritage site.

"We are very excited about the project and it will be a real
challenge, but we are all looking forward to it."