Summary

Medieval moat and fish ponds.

Full description

Medieval moat and fish ponds. <1> Hall, gatehouse, barn, moat, mill ponds. "The present house is modern, but, judging from the remains of the walling to the gatehouse which stands at the north east corner of the moat, the original house must have been a building of considerable importance". About 40ft of gatehouse outer wall stands, with remains of an entrance, c9.5ft wide. It is 3ft thick, has 2 offsets. The lower part of the wall, to a height of c20ft, is of coursed Reigate stone, of medieval date. Across the moat, leading to the gatehouse, is a bridge-all modern except the lower part of the retaining wall on the west side (it is limestone-rubble). The barn is outside the north eastern corner of the moat. It has brick walls (the internal construction is timber). It is of 11 and a half bays, has side-aisles and 2 south, projecting porches. Built late in the 15th-early 16th centuries but the 2 easternmost bays are later. It has heavy, squared posts, braced main purlins and tie-beams, king-posts and central purlins below the collars. The moat surrounded the house, "is exceptionally large and well-preserved". The mill-ponds are "marked by 3 large shallow depressions in the ground". The south arm of the moat was probably also used as part of the mill. A wind- mill is now on the site. <2> <3> Manorial, complete, irregular. Fish-ponds, water and wind mills. Later divided into 2 manors. <4> <5> Sketch plan on back of MSRG card. <6> "The monument comprises a large, irregular, quadilateral moat, enclosing an area some 500 by 300ft, and bridge, including a gatehouse". The lower part of the gatehouse outer wall is finely dressed ashlar, medieval. Only an orchard is left on the site of the former house "which was evidently of some importance". <7> <12> Gatehouse and bridge listed. <10> <11> Watching brief in 1986 as condition of SMC. Elevations and plans of gatehouse were drawn as part of this. The surviving fabric of the gatehouse is Reigate rubble with ashlar but the arch and wall above were rebuilt in brick in C17/early C18. There were no architecturally diagnostic features to enable the stone structure to be dated. Post medieval brick buildings had been constructed against the inner face of the gatehouse, but it is possible that the stonework is only the facade to a timber-framed or brick gatehouse. The lower courses of stone continue to the N and seem to return along the N wall of the moat. C15 brickwork N of the gatehouse may be later than the stonework and wall scars indicate at least two structures projected towards or over the moat, one perhaps representing a garderobe. It is also possible that there was a turret but further work would be needed to resolve this. Nothing is known about the original hall. South Ockendon was a Domesday Manor. The earliest reference records a grant to support a chaplain at the free chapel at the Hall between 1190-1225. Building accounts of 1318/19 mention a hall, kitchen, well and privy. C16 wills mention `the great dining chamber, middle chamber' and `gallery chamber'. One fragment of glazed floor tile was found in the moat. Moulded and rubbed bricks found in the core of the wall may be from decorative chimneys. A survey of 1691 shows a large, probably C17 house (see 1864). The archaeological and documentary evidence suggest the Hall was a wealthy and prestigious manor house. <12> - <17> Various notes and references in SMR. Also complete photo record of the gatehouse. <18> <19> Domesday records one mill and one beehive. <20> Photographed during MPP visit by S. Tyler, Aug 1999. <21>

Site Management: Scheduled monument consent requested and granted to clean out the moat. <7> <9>

Site Assessment: Gatehouse in reasonable condition. <1> Application for scheduled monument consent to clean out moat, repair a dam and return the moat to its original condition. <7> <8> Consent granted. <9> It is difficult to find parallels in Essex for the gatehouse but cartographic sources indicate comparable gatehouses once existed at Mascallsbury, White Roothing and at Thorndon Hall, West Horndon. <12>

<1> unknown, 1960 0nwards, SMR form unknown (DESC TEXT). SEX4.

<2> RCHME, 1923, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex - Volume 4, Vol 4, pp141-142 (DESC TEXT). SEX356.

<3> Ordnance Survey, unknown, OS cards, TQ68SW01, 1953 (RECORD SHEET/FORM). SEX52658.

<4> unknown, unknown, TQ68-004 (LIST). SEX6794.

<5> Wright, T, unknown, History of Essex, Vol 2, p524? (DESC TEXT). SEX5541.

<6> unknown, unknown, TQ68-004 (Map). SEX6795.

<7> HBMC, 1984, Gatehouse and Moat at South Ockendon Old Hall, Essex (CORRESPONDENCE). SEX6796.

<8> Schatzmann, R, 1984, Proposed Works at Moat of South Ockendon Old Hall (CORRESPONDENCE). SEX6797.

<9> Payne, PE, 1984, Proposed Works at the Gate House at South Ockendon Old Hall, Essex (CORRESPONDENCE). SEX6798.

<10> unknown, 1981, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Thurrock, p70 (DESC TEXT). SEX6799.

<11> HBMC, 1986, DOE Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Parts 5-8 (Scheduling record). SEX167.

<12> Priddy, DA, 1987, Work of the Essex County Council Archaeology Section 1986, Vol 18, pp97-99 (DESC TEXT). SEX6800.

<13> unknown, 1978, Essex, Vol 7, p119 (DESC TEXT). SEX6801.

<14> unknown, unknown, D-DP M 1152 (DESC TEXT). SEX6802.

<15> unknown, unknown, D-AER 11A-66 (DESC TEXT). SEX6803.

<16> unknown, unknown, PROB 11 34 f83 (DESC TEXT). SEX6804.

<17> unknown, 1691, Estate Suvey of South Ockendon Hall, D-DGe P5 (Map). SEX6805.

<18> Priddy, DA, 1986, SMR, various notes and refs (DESC TEXT). SEX6806.

<19> Priddy, DA, 1986, TQ68-004, 37 frames (Photograph). SEX6807.

<20> Rumble, A, 1983, Domesday Book - 32, Essex, 30, 4 (DESC TEXT). SEX1130.

<21> Tyler, Sue, 1999, MPP film 14, 14 frames (Photograph). SEX54130.

<22> Historic Landscape Management, 2002, Mardyke Valley Project; A Brief Landscape History of the Mardyke Valley (DESC TEXT). SEX68863.

<23> Tyler, Sue, 2000, CP/00/8/7- 9 (AP). SEX60362.

<24> Saunders, Helen, 2014, EX14/06/001-012 (AP (Digital)). SEX60363.

<25> Saunders, Helen, 2016, EX16/03/093-109 (AP (Digital)). SEX73041.

<26> Saunders, Helen, 2021, EX21/06/002-006 (AP (Digital)). SEX74933.

Monument Types

• AISLED BARN (C15-C16, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BARN (C14, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRIDGE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHAPEL (C12-C13, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHIMNEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• GATEHOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HALL HOUSE (C14, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• KITCHEN (C14, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PRIVY HOUSE (C14, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WALL (C15, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WATERMILL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WELL (C14, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BEEHIVE (Medieval - 1086 AD to 1539 AD)
• MANOR (Medieval - 1086 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

• BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Events

• Field visit to South Ockendon Old Hall (EX130) by Chant, K, FMW on JAN-1983 (Ref: FMW)
• Field visit to South Ockendon Old Hall (EX130) by Paterson, H, FMW on JUN-1987 (Ref: FMW)
• Field visit to South Ockendon Old Hall (EX130) by Paterson, H, FMW on APR-1990 (Ref: FMW)
• Field visit to South Ockendon Old Hall (EX130) by Paterson, H, FMW on NOV-1992 (Ref: FMW)
• Mardyke River Valley Project (Ref: ?)
• PART SURVEY by Priddy, DA, 1986 (Ref: ?)
• FULL PHOTO RECORD by Priddy, DA, 1986 (Ref: ?)
• Field visit to South Ockendon Old Hall (EX130) by Thompson, M W IAM on JUN-1962 (Ref: IAM)
• Field visit to South Ockendon Old Hall (EX130) by Paterson, H, FMW on APR-1980 (Ref: FMW)
• Field visit to South Ockendon Old Hall (EX130) by Paterson, H, FMW on NOV-1981 (Ref: FMW)

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument () 1002155: Gatehouse and moat of South Ockenden Old Hall
• Historic Environment Character Zone: Thames Gateway 112_3
• Historic Environment Character Area: Thames Gateway 112

Sources and further reading

Images

South Ockendon Medieval moat and fish ponds. © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Medieval moat and fish ponds. © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Medieval moat and fish ponds. © Essex County Council
South Ockendon Medieval moat and fish ponds. © Essex County Council	South Ockendon Old Hall, Moated Site, Thurrock © Essex County Council

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