Thorndon Old Hall, West Horndon

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; West Thorndon

In the civil parish of Brentwood.
In the historic county of Essex (Modern Authority of Essex, 1974 county of Essex).

The brief excavation note of 1958 mentions a 'great tower' and 'semicircular bastion'- possible castle. PastScape record reads "Excavations have located the layout of the hall which was constructed in 1414. It comprised a central block with bastions and was moated. Extensions were carried out circa 1450 and 1570-90." Site not large enough to be C15 castle, was licenced, in 1414, as a fortified park lodge of brick.

This site has been described as a;
Fortified Manor House.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Cropmarks/slight earthworks remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ62418982

PastScape number; 414082

Books

Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern) p41
Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) [Shown on map of fortified houses of East Anglia]
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p148
RCHME, 1923, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex. Vol4 [south-east] p167

Journal Articles

Buckley, D.G. in Couchman, C.R. (ed), 1976, Work Undertaken by Essex County Council Archaeology Section, 1974-76 Vol8 p180-182
Marshall, K. in Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, J.G., 1959, 'Medieval Britain in 1958' Medieval Archaeology Vol3 p315
Marshall, K. in Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, J.G., 1958, 'Medieval Britain in 1957' Medieval Archaeology Vol2 p202
Marshall, K., 1958, Essex Naturalist Vol30 p214-5

Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)

Calendar of Charter Rolls Vol5 p467

Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)

William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/essexeng.html#essex8]

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Thorndon Old Hall, West Horndon

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ62418982

Sources of information, references and further reading