Maldon Moot Hall

Description

Tower house built early-mid C15 for Sir Robert D'Arcy. Aquired by the Borough Council in 1576. Alterations occured during the late C18-early C19 and during the C19-C20. Also used as a Police station from 1836. Now Town Council premises. Three-storied structure with red-brick walls and lead-covered roofs. Has a semi-octagonal stair-turret at the NE angle and small annexe at the NW angle. Much altered and most of the existing windows were inserted late in C19. Unusual building in that it originally included a defensive tower. Evidence in the form of blocked doorways and straight joints in the brickwork suggest that a two-storey 1st-floor hall structure was first intended, squeezed into an already developed urban frontage. This probably had a hall at right-angles to the frontage and an octagonal stair tower. In a second phase of building an elaborate spiral stair was inserted into the tower, and the building, including the tower, was raised in height. It is probable that the brick stair at least was the work of foreign brickmakers, as it is identical to examples at Someries Castle (Bedfordshire) and Faulkbourne Hall (Essex). (Derived from listing report)

Moot Hall, 50 yards S.E. of the church, is of three storeys; the walls are of red brick and the roofs are covered with lead. It was built in the 15th century and has a semi-octagonal stair-turret at the N.E. angle and a small annexe at the N.W. angle. It was much altered and most of the existing windows inserted late in the 19th century.
The building is interesting from its unusual character which partakes of that of a defensive tower. (Plate p. 177.)
The S. front has no ancient features and the parapet is of the 18th century. On the W. side in the third storey is an original cruciform loop, now blocked. Above the annexe is a bell-turret with five modern bells. Inside the building the main room on the ground floor has original moulded ceiling-beams and plates; the room in the annexe has similar wall-plates and an original doorway with a four-centred head. Below this room is a vaulted cellar. The second storey, now a police court, has some 17th-century panelling in the annexe, a window of old bricks and a blocked loop. The third floor, now the council chamber, has late 17th and early 18th-century furniture and some old portraits. (RCHME)