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| Monument Name |
Old Thorndon Hall, West Horndon |
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| SMR Number |
1849 |
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| Summary |
Foundations of brick on site of Old Hall, middle of parish. |
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| Media |
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| Associated Media |
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| Description |
Foundations of brick on site of Old Hall, middle of parish. <1> Building on site since 1414. Manor house demolished 1763. Possible DMV. <2> Three periods of construction and alteration confirmed by excavation. 2 were medieval. One, of 1414, had a central rectangular block of massive brickwork and an outer wall with bastions and buttresses. It was surrounded by a moat. Secondly, in c1450, a small west wing extension was built over the moat and a larger east wing, all in brick. The greater part of the house plan was recovered. <3> <4> <5> 'The hall is first recorded in 1414. It continued on the same site with additions and rebuilding until 1763, when it was pulled down'. The Old Hall foundations exist in woodland, are traceable in part, especially as the excavations of 1957-1959 exposed some of them. 'In the field south of the Old Hall Wood, building debris from the gatehouse and stable block is clearly visible on the newly ploughed field'. The Walker map of 1598 shows Old Thorndon Hall after 16th century remodelling. <6> 3 fragments of 15th-16th century Flemish floor tile, one sherd of stoneware, 2 pieces of Reigate stone and oolitic limestone found at the site of West Horndon Hall at TQ 62328976. <7> Floor tiles from the hall site are Flemish, 15th or early 16th century, in distinctive fabric, occurring elsewhere in Essex (eg Widford), also as far afield as South Wales. <8>
A gradiometer survey in March 1997 identified the brick built gatehouse, perimeter wall and other features associated with the enclosed gardens of Thorndon Hall. <9>
The gatehouse appears from the grey scale plots to consist of three roughly circular structures. In view of the nature of other buildings associated with Thorndon Hall it is likely that these structures are octagonal in plan. <9> The magnetic response from the linear features to the west of the gatehouse also suggest walls constructed of brick. These appear less substantial than the main perimeter wall. <9>
other ref <10>
The site is currently in an area of overgrown woodland. Areas of exposed brickwork are partially visible. The site of Old Thorndon Hall has enormous potential for interpretation and display. Clearance of undergrowth, recording, consilidation repair and display of the site must all be considered together. To attempt one without considering the consequences that any work may have on the preservation of the site would increase the risk of damage, disturbance and possible destruction of archaeological deposits. Additional archaeological evaluation may also be necessary in order to understand fully the surviving remains. <11>
The site lies to the south of the present limit of Thorndon south county park and was until recently in an area of arable cultivation. Now that the extent of the site has been clearly defined by field walking it is important that the nature and archaeological potential of the site should be evaluated. In the mean time it should be taken out of arable cultivation and the area allowed to form permanent grassland. This will create ideal conditions for the preservation of any surviving archaeological remains. <12>
Site Scheduled February 2004 - notification received May 2004. <13> |
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| Monument Type(s) |
DEER PARK (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
HOUSE (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
HOUSE (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
HOUSE (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
MOAT (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
MOAT (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
WALL (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Dated 1066AD to 1539AD)
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| Monument Class(es) |
BRICK
CONJECTURAL EVIDENCE
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE
EARTHWORK
RUINED BUILDING
STONE
SUB SURFACE DEPOSIT
UNCERTAIN EVIDENCE
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Period
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1066AD to 1539AD Medieval
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| Status |
Not Known |
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| Administration Area |
HERONGATE AND INGRAVE, BRENTWOOD, ESSEX |
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National Grid Reference
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Square: TQ68NW
Ref: 624897 |
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| Finds |
CLAY VESSEL (Dated 1066AD To 2050AD)
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| Events |
PART EXCAV by Marshall, K,
FIELD OBS by Sellers, E, 1979
FIELD SURVEY by Buckley, DG, 1975
Contour survey of Thorndon Country Park
Trial trenching, Thorndon Country Park
Geophysical survey Thorndon Park Gatehouse
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Sources
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Desc Text : Brentwood, West Horndon Hall (Priddy, DA)
Aerial Photo : CP/04/01/01-01/05 (Saunders, Helen) Dated : 2004
Desc Text : An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex - Volume 4 (RCHME) Vol 4, p167 Dated : 1923
Desc Text : Medieval Britain in 1957 (Marshall, K in Wilson, DM and Hurst, DG) Vol 2, p202 Dated : 1958
Desc Text : Medieval Britain in 1958 (Marshall, K in Wilson, DM and Hurst, JG) Vol 3, p315 Dated : 1959
Desc Text : SMR Form (unknown) Dated : 1960s to
Desc Text : Work Undertaken by Essex County Council Archaeology Section, 1974-76 (Buckley, DG in Couchman, CR) Vol 8, pp180-182 Dated : 1976
Desc Text : TQ68NW06 (unknown) Dated : 1978
CORRESPONDENCE : West Horndon:Surface Finds (Drury, PJ) Dated : 1980
Desc Text : County Parks Archaeological Survey - Thorndon Park (Austin, Louise) Dated : 1994
Desc Text : Old Thorndon Pastures, Thordon Country Park, Brentwood, Essex (Peet, I) Dated : 1995
Desc Text : Thorndon Park Gatehouse (West) Geophysical Survey (Wardill, R) Dated : 1997
Scheduling record : Old Thorndon Hall and gardens (English Heritage) Dated : 2004
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