Summary

Ruins, of flint-rubble mixed with puddingstone and Roman brick (see 750).

Full description

Ruins, of flint-rubble mixed with puddingstone and Roman brick (see 750). A hermitage was founded here in the time of Henry I, subsequently becoming a cell of St John's Abbey, Colchester. Remains are of one angle of a building c8ft high. <1> An angle of the chapel wall, fishponds and a well still called the Holy Well. <2> OS 1975 report no remains traceable of wall or well. A single waterfilled fish pond still exists to the north east at TL 63350214. A stream valley immediately west of it may be the site of another pond. <4> in <3> Other refs: <5> <6> <7> <8>
Surveyed in 1993 <9> all that remains is some ruins of a wall and a pond. During this survey the wall made of flint and roman tile was relocated in dense elder and scrub growth behind the barn. The wall had collapsed and was lying on its side. Scattered on the ground were tile, brick and other building remains. The fishpond referred to above may be the water-filled pond behind the house; there are other earthwork features in this field which may be the remains of other ponds. the well could be in the clump of bushes between the pond and the house. For documentary references in Court Rolls etc. see <9>

The site is intensively grazed by horses and during the 1993 survey was bare of vegetation in many places. The original shape of the pond had been destroyed by continual use by horses. <9>

Bannister, NR and Bannister, DE, 1993, Historic Landscape Survey of Writtle Forest and Park, Chelmsford, Essex (DESC TEXT). SEX58657.

<1> RCHME, 1921, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex - Volume 2, Vol 2, p275 (DESC TEXT). SEX183.

<2> Ordnance Survey, unknown, OS cards, TL60SW17, 1961 (RECORD SHEET/FORM). SEX52658.

<3> unknown, 1960 0nwards, SMR form unknown (DESC TEXT). SEX4.

<4> Ordnance Survey, unknown, OS cards, TL60SW17, 1975 (RECORD SHEET/FORM). SEX52658.

<5> Victoria County History, 1907, Victoria County History, Essex, Vol II (VCH), Vol 2, p94 (DESC TEXT). SEX13.

<6> Knowles, D and Hadcock, RN, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses in England and Wales, p59 (DESC TEXT). SEX2891.

<7> Essex Review, 1909, Essex Rev, Vol 18, p130 (DESC TEXT). SEX2892.

<8> Essex Naturalist, unknown, Essex Naturalist, Vol 3, p206 (DESC TEXT). SEX189.

Monument Types

• CHAPEL (C12, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Events

• Survey of Writtle Forest and Park (Ref: ?)

Protected Status

• Historic Environment Character Zone: Chelmsford 11.4
• Historic Environment Character Area: Chelmsford 11
• SHINE: Site of medieval priory cell and associated pond and earthworks

Sources and further reading

Images

No image description available © Essex County Council

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