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Summary

Mid 15th century gatehouse, notable for its early use of decorative brick

Monument Types

• GATEHOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1500 AD)
• WORKHOUSE (Post Medieval - 1501 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events

• Watching brief at Rye House gatehouse, 2008

Protected Status

• Area of Archaeological Significance 301
• Listed Building (I) 355970: RYE HOUSE GATEHOUSE
• Listed Building (I) 15/1
• Scheduled Ancient Monument 11522: RYE HOUSE MOATED ENCLOSURE AND GATEHOUSE

Full description

Built by Sir Andrew Ogard c.1443, the 15th century gatehouse stands within a moated enclosure [61]. A two-storeyed building with crenellated parapet, it is of red brick in English bond with some diaper ornament in black headers and carved stonework to string courses and the main entrance. The building is significant for its very early use of moulded brick for decorative features <1>. In the later 20th century the site was cleared and the gatehouse restored for Lea Valley park <3>.
The gatehouse was apparently used as a parish workhouse before the Poor Law Act of 1834 when Stanstead Abbots became part of the Ware Union <2>. It was built as the entrance to a much larger property <1, 2>, and is regarded as a major example of early brick building. It was also associated with the Rye House Plot, a plan to assassinate Charles II and his brother James Duke of York on their return this way from Newmarket to London in 1683.
For other fragments, see [12255, 12256, 12257]. These were salvaged c.1870 by Henry Teale, proprietor of the King's Arms [12664] on the other side of Rye Road, and set up around the moat which with the gatehouse was incorporated within the pub's pleasure gardens.

Listed Buildings description (Digital archive). SHT6690.

RCHM (England), 1911, Inventory of the historical monuments in Hertfordshire, - p210 (Bibliographic reference). SHT9222.

<1> Smith, Terence Paul, 1975, Rye House, Hertfordshire, and aspects of early brickwork in England; Archaeological Journal 132, 111-47 (Article in serial). SHT1621.

<2> Andrews, R T, 1903, The Rye House castle and manor of Rye; Trans East Herts Archaeol Soc 2/2, 32-45 (Article in serial). SHT3014.

<3> Moodey, G E, 1971, Stanstead Abbotts: The Rye House; East Herts Archaeol Soc Newsletter 1971, 30 (Article in serial). SHT3185.

<4> Page, W (ed.), 1912, VCH Hertfordshire vol.3, - p367 (Bibliographic reference). SHT2329.

<5> Smith, J T, 1993, Hertfordshire houses: selective inventory (Bibliographic reference). SHT16660.

<6> Jones, Arthur, 1984, Bedrooms, chimneys and lavatories! The development of Hertfordshire houses from shelters to homes, Photo, p16 (Bibliographic reference). SHT5427.

<7> Brushe, John, 1977, The Charnock drawings; Hertfordshire Archaeology 5, 194-6, 1780s view including maltings (Article in serial). SHT9709.

Sources and further reading

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