ABSTRACT
This gateway is the most potent surviving symbol of Sant’Angelo in Colle’s earlier strategic significance to the Republic of Siena. It is probably a mistake, however, to view medieval Sant’Angelo in Colle solely in terms of access from the north. The more important entrances to the village may originally have been on its southern and western sides. Guarded to the east by the Benedictine abbey of Sant’Antimo (under whose jurisdiction Sant’Angelo in Colle fell prior to its submission to Siena), and separated from settlements to the north and west by forest, Sant’Angelo in Colle must have felt relatively free from attack, except from feudal counts to the south and south-west.2 It was in these directions, therefore, that the inhabitants of Sant’Angelo in Colle (and most especially when under the authority of the Republic of Siena, and thus able to turn to that source for funds for fortification of the village) must have felt the need to position lookouts in the form of fortified towers, and to erect fortified entrance gates overlooking the valley. one of the toponyms recorded in the 1320 Tavola delle possessioni for Sant’Angelo in Colle indicates that at least one of the gates into the village was reinforced with a wrought iron gate or portcullis, since reference was made to the ‘Costa porta cancelli’.3 The 1320 Tavola delle possessioni also contains references to the ‘Poggio Cancelli’.4 Given the reference to costa, or encircling slope, close to the porta cancelli, or gate of the portcullis or grate, it seems likely that this particular gate overlooked the orcia valley. It must therefore have been positioned to the west, south or east. This, combined with the fact, that even now an area directly to the south of Sant’Angelo in Colle is referred to as ‘Cancelli’, would seem to confirm that there was indeed once a fortified gate on the southern side of the village.5
