What to know
- Osgoode Hall’s iconic V-shaped fence at 130 Queen St. W. dates back to 1867, replacing an earlier wooden fence from 1831 after the Law Society of Ontario commissioned a cast-iron version from the St. Lawrence Foundry.
- Designed by architects William Storm and Frederic Cumberland, the fence is on the City of Toronto Heritage Register and is considered a historic architectural feature.
- Nicknamed the “kissing gates,” the angled, stuck-in-place gates have inspired myths for decades, including a debunked belief that they were meant to keep livestock out—tested (and disproven) when law students once led “Bossy the cow” through them.
Ever wondered why Osgoode Hall’s fence is angled? Here’s the inside scoop behind its myths and facts.
Located at 130 Queen St. W., Osgoode Hall’s V-angled fence is infamous. But before this oddity ever came to life, there was once a wooden fence back in 1831 designed to separate Osgoode Hall from the street. But in the 1860s, the Law Society of Ontario ordered a cast-iron replacement, for which the St. Lawrence Foundry created the fence panels in 1867.
Architects William Storm and Frederic Cumberland designed this Toronto landmark, among other well-known buildings such as University College at the University of Toronto and St. James’ Cathedral.
Plaques Coordinator Meg Sutton adds that the fence is on the City of Toronto Heritage Register as it’s “a historic piece of architecture, which I think a lot of people think, you know, cathedrals, churches, buildings like the [Osgoode] hall itself, but the fence is also part of history.”
“When the gates were first put in, they swung closed. But since at least the 1880s, they’ve been stuck in place.”
She continues that the gates are in a V-formation, nicknamed the “kissing gates,” which she believes is adorable and perfect timing for Valentine’s Day.
The nickname came to life because the V-shaped enclosure makes people go through the gate one at a time, moving around the panel in a line. Sutton explains that “as you travel from one side to the other side of the enclosure, you end up facing someone else. If they were trying to go through, it is the perfect position for a little peck or a kiss,” with consent, of course.
But the myths don’t stop there – some Torontonians believe that the fence was a way to prevent livestock from entering the area. The urban myth was popularized in 1933 in Toronto lawyer John Mitchell’s book “The Yellow Briar,” under the pen name Patrick Slater.
Sutton points out that the urban myth doesn’t quite align with historical facts. “In the 1860s, it was very rare to see wandering livestock in the streets of Toronto. We’re in an urban city, and so that myth kind of populates the idea of more of an agricultural setting,” she shared.
Decades after the book’s 1933 publication, some law students decided to test the livestock myth—it failed. Sutton explains that while the fence was not intended to keep out cattle, students once attempted to lead a cow through the gate, giving her the affectionate nickname ‘Bossy the cow.’
With its odd angles and legends, Osgoode Hall’s fence keeps Toronto guessing.
