Summary

House is possibly of 12th/13th century origin.

Full description

House is possibly of 12th/13th century origin. Inspection in 1974 showed the presence of reused older material and "a building of great age" of stone in the NW area. It was noted that the W tower could possibly have been built C12/ C13, lowered later and built up again using old materials. "The view of the group was that there was a building of C12-C13, then ruined and restored early C16 using old materials...<1> Small scale excavations during the winter of 1984-5 revealed that the present hall is on the site of an earlier medieval centre. Medieval pottery of late C13-early C15 and medieval cut features were revealed. The earlier buildings, in their later phases at least, were within a moated enclosure, located just inside the line of the existing buildings. This was observed in the Golf Club and the Barns. <2> <3> <4> Other refs: <5> <6>

Hall (TQ 8703 9034)
Rochford Hall was the manorial centre, although the current hall was built by Lord Rich in the sixteenth century. Study of the west tower in 1974 suggests that it could possibly have been built in the twelfth-thirteenth century, lowered later and rebuilt using the old materials. Excavations in 1984-5 confirmed the belief that the sixteenth century hall was on the site of an earlier medieval building. Medievcl pottery of late thirteenth to early fifteenth century date was recovered and features of this date revealed. The medieval building, in its later phase at least, stood within a moated enclosure, located just inside the outline of the present buildings.<7>

The Hall (TQ 8703 9034)
Rochford Hall as it stands is sixteenth century in date (c.1540-50). It was built by Lord Rich and at the time was one of the largest houses in Essex. The house is of mixed rubble and brick construction, and is plaster covered. Originally it would have had four courtyards with octagonal turrets at all but the south-east corners. The whole of the southern half has been destroyed, and the surviving buildings of the western courtyard have been reduced in height and turned into barns etc. The only part remaining to full height consists of the two wings meeting at the north-east angle. Small-scale excavations in 1984-5 showed that the present hall was originally moated.

Approximately 120m to the south of the road an area of burning and Tudor bricks were noted when some trees were blown over. It is thought that these remains may represent a Tudor brickworks, although it is not known whether this is linked to the building works at the Hall in the 1430’s or 1540’s, or the church. <7>

<1> unknown, 1988, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Rochford, pp65-6 (DESC TEXT). SEX37705.

<2> Andrews, D, 1985, Rochford Hall: Provisional Report on excavations, winter 1884-5 (DESC TEXT). SEX41114.

<3> Andrews, D, 1986, in Priddy, D (ed) Excavations in Essex 1985, Vol 17, p162, No. 35 (DESC TEXT). SEX37707.

<4> Andrews, D, 1987, Rochford Hall: Post Excavation Project 1987-88 (DESC TEXT). SEX41115.

<5> Andrews, D, 1987, in Priddy, D (ed) Excavations in Essex 1986, vol 18, p108, No. 26 (DESC TEXT). SEX37709.

<6> Buckley, DG, 1983, Rochford Hall: Implications of Development work (DESC TEXT). SEX37712.

<7> Medlycott, Maria, 1999, Rochford Historic Town Assessment Report (DESC TEXT). SEX61557.

Monument Types

• FEATURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HALL HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

• VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Events

• PART SURVEY by Carrick, D et al, 1974 (Ref: ?)
• PART EXCAV by Andrews, D (Ref: ?)
• Field visit to 16322 by Chant, K FMW on OCT-1983 (Ref: FMW)
• Field visit to 16322 by Patersion, H, FMW on JUN-1988 (Ref: FMW)
• Field visit to 16322 by Paterson, H, FMW on JUL-1992 (Ref: FMW)

Protected Status

• Historic Environment Character Zone: Rochford 22
• Listed Building (EH) (I) 1112586: ROCHFORD HALL AND RUINS
• Conservation Area: Rochford
• Historic Environment Character Area: Thames Gateway 87
• Historic Environment Character Area: Rochford 7
• Scheduled Monument 1002200: Rochford Hall (uninhabited portions)

Sources and further reading

Related records

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