Southchurch Hall
Southchurch
Hall
was
formerly
the
Manor
House
of
Southchurch.
The
hall
is
surrounded
by
a
deep
moat
watered
by
two
springs,
and
until
the
early
1920s
served
as
a
farmhouse
known
as
Whiffen’s
Farm.
In
1925
it
was
presented
to
the
Southend
Corporation,
with
the
surrounding
area,
by
the
family
of
the
the
late
Mr
Thomas
Dowsett.
The
Corporation
adapted
the
whole
area
for
use
as
a
public
recreation
ground.
Restoration
of
Manor
House
started
in
1929,
and
the
building
was
restored
and
preserved.
Southchurch
Hall
which
dates
from
the
early
half
of
the
Fourteenth
Century,
consists
of
an
open
central
hall
with
two
storey
wings
at
the
East
and
West
ends.
It
contains
some
good
timber
work
and
is
of
special
interest
as
being
one
of
the
oldest
domestic
buildings
now
surviving
in
Essex.
In
medieval
times
it
had
its
private
chapel
dedicated
to
St.
Katherine.
The
Manor,
Belonged
to
the
monks
of
Canterbury
Cathedral,
but
was,
from
very
early
times,
let
“at
farm.”
For
nearly
two
centuries
(c1150
-
c1350)
it
was
held
by
members
of
the
de
Southchurch
family,
the
most
famous
of
whom
was
Sir
Richard
de
Southchurch,
who
was
sheriff
of
Essex
and
Hertfordshire,
in
1265-7,
gained
an
unenviable
notoriety
for
his
abuse
of
the
royal
powers
vested
in
him.
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Southchurch Hall before the restoration of 1929
Image from the Terry Herbert Collection
Southchurch Hall before the restoration of 1929
Image from the Terry Herbert Collection
Southchurch Hall Today
Southchurch Hall Today
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