King Johns Palace, Writtle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Writele

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

Moat. Manorial enclosure. Was well preserved rectangular moat with a fish pond in the west side. Excavated before site bulldozed for agricultural development. Fish pond actually on the east, now a reservoir. 3 periods of building, roughly C13, C14 and C15, were seen. The first was within and the later 2 periods outside the moated area. Small finds were numerous. The first phase consisted of the hunting lodge built by King John in 1211, repaired in 1223, 1229-1232. This was often visited by Henry III and Edward I. A hall, kitchen, chapel and gaol are mentioned. In C14 the site passed to the Bohun family. Documentary evidence suggests the hall and chapel now lay further to the west, otherwise the layout was similar to period 1. In C15 there was building by the Buckingham family until the Duke was executed in 1521. The buildings were in decay then, the process being completed in 1566. This period's main buildings, including a cloister and great chamber, were at the west end. The kitchen was at the east end. The C15 barn still stands. In 1968 the moat was still in good condition though the south east corner had been filled in. The fish pond had been filled in, lined with concrete and was now a reservoir. No structural remains of medieval buildings visible. Descheduled monument 1963. Licence to crenellate issued 1347.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL676068

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 375436
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 659 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://unlockingessex.essexcc.gov.uk/
• Books
  • Keevill, Graham D., 2000, Medieval Palaces, An Archaeology (Stroud; Tempus) p25, 125, 129, 145
    James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby) p58-9
    Rahtz, P.A., 1969, Excavations at King John's Hunting Lodge, Writtle, Essex, 1955-7 (Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph 3)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p1019-20
    RCHME, 1921, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex. Vol2 [central and south-west] p276
• Journal Articles
  • Rhatz, P.A. in Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, J.G., 1958, 'Medieval Britain in 1957' Medieval Archaeology Vol2 p202-4 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Rhatz, P.A. in Wilson, D.M. and Hurst, J.G., 1957, 'Medieval Britain in 1956' Medieval Archaeology Vol1 p160 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
• 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 Patent Rolls (1345-48) p450
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1217-25) p124-5