Mediaeval life in South Essex, UK.

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The Mediaeval Period 1066 - 1500 AD

The Medieval period began with The Norman Conquest, which followed the battle of Hastings in 1066AD, and had a profound impact on the whole of England. The Domesday Book of 1086AD gives a good indication of the condition of south Essex. The extraordinary extent of pasture for sheep recorded in Domesday demonstrates the economic importance of the marshland pasture at this time.

One of the largest landowners in south Essex (and indeed in England) was Sweyn of Essex. He was one of the very few preconquest landowners who still held their lands in 1086. Sweyn's principal base was at Rayleigh where he had a large earthwork castle built set on a high ridge commanding wide views across his lands.

This castle was of a type known as a Motte and Bailey. It comprised a large mound (the motte) topped by a wooden rampart and tower, attached to which was an enclosure (the bailey) surrounded by a ditch and earth bank topped by a timber rampart. Most of the castle's domestic buildings such as stables and living accommodation would have been housed in the bailey.

The monastic establishment founded during the Saxon period at Barking, developed into the largest nunnery in England. This reconstruction painting by Sir Charles Nicholson shows Barking Abbey as it may have looked toward the end of the medieval period. Another major monastery existed nearby at Stratford Langthorne, whilst further east at Prittlewell a Priory was established.

As can be seen from this reconstruction painting of Prittlewell Priory by Frank Gardiner, monasteries formed the centre of large farming estates. Note also the fishponds in the foreground, fish formed an important part of the monks diet particularly on the numerous fast days when meat eating was forbidden.

An extensive early medieval farmstead and its associated fields were recorded at Hunts Hill farm north of Aveley, in advance of gravel extraction. During the Medieval period the manor was the main unit of landownership and administration. At North Shoebury excavations revealed the early manorial centre surrounded by a substantial ditch.

This picture shows a section through the enclosure ditch the slot visible on the right of the picture probably held the foundation of a timber revetment along the inside of the ditch.

Two other manorial sites excavated in south Essex at Low Hall, Walthamstow and Southchurch Hall, Southend were both surrounded by large moats. Both these sites were provided with access bridges and stone built structures fronting the moat. The site of the timber-framed hall was excavated at Low Hall, whereas the early 14th century hall at Southchurch survives, it was carefully restored in the 1930s and is now open to the public.

Excavations at Southchurch revealed the stone foundations of a gatehouse and associated structures, together with the remains of a timber bridge, which had been rebuilt at least three times, preserved in the waterlogged fills of the moat. Pottery and other finds recovered from the excavations shows that the occupants exploiting the opportunities offered by the proximity of the Thames estuary maintained wide ranging continental contacts from Spain to Germany. Many south Essex settlements like Leigh, South Benfleet, Fobbing and Barking were thriving ports engaging in fishing and trade.

Fobbing was a major flashpoint for the Peasants Revolt of 1381, ease of communication by boat via the Thames, enabled close co-operation between the peasants of Kent and Essex.

Excavations in advance of a pipeline at the edge of the marshland just north of Shellhaven revealed the remains of a late medieval settlement, yielded imported pottery again reflecting the ease of access to continental Europe provided by the Thames. Also recovered was this finely carved bone image of a unicorn.

During the numerous wars with France which characterised the medieval period the Thames provided a potential route for raiders and invaders. The dramatic ruins of Hadleigh Castle commanding wide views across the Thames Estuary are a reminder of this.

This reconstruction painting by Frank Gardiner shows Hadleigh Castle in its landscape setting, with a deer park separated from the castle by its timber fence (the park pale) the importance of sheep grazing and Benfleet creek and the Thames estuary for trade and transport are clearly illustrated.

In this interior view of Hadleigh Castle looking towards the Thames marshes, the palatial stone buildings reflect the castle's refurbishment as a Royal residence during the reign of Edward III. In the post medieval period the castle was given as a residence to Catherine of Aragon the divorced wife of Henry VIII.