Site of medieval manor of Hockley, Bradwell-on-Sea (EHER 45960)

Now destroyed. The medieval manor of Hockley can be traced back to 1068 where it is mentioned in the Domesday Book as one of four manors in Bradwell-on-Sea, under the earlier name 'Hacflet'. From an early date it was linked with the manor of Bradwell (EHER 45958), originally the Domesday manor of Duna. The manor of Hacflet is thought to be the area around Bradwell Quay, later Bradwell Wharf, although Bruce and Brown identify Hacflet with the manor of Hockley to the South of Bradwell. The manor of Hockley is mentioned in 1185, and Hockley Farm is located off of East End Road.

A medieval manor in Bradwell. It is possible to partially reconstruct the medieval landscape of Bradwell-on-Sea using documentary, cartographic and archaeological sources. The Domesday Book mentioned four manors in 1086: Hacflet, Dona, Duna, and Effescestra. During the medieval period there appears to have been some consolidation of the Domesday manors. The manor of Duna became Bradwell Manor (EHER 45958), the principal manor for Bradwell, and at an early date it is linked with the manor of Hockley, believed to be Hacflet. Reaney (<1>) concludes that the Domesday manor of Hacflet is the area around Bradwell Quay later to become Bradwell Wharf. The reasoning is that Hacflet is identified with Bradwell Creek due to its meaning- ‘creek with the angular bend’. Hacflet manor possessed a fishery in 1086 and there is evidence for a fishery off this area of the coast (EHER 9972). In 1283 the Lord of Bradwell manor is recorded as being in the possession of [the quay at] Hocflete. However, Bradwell Quay is recorded as copyhold of the manor of Down Hall by 1705 and this would probably have continued a long tradition of ownership. Bruce (<2>) and Brown (<3>) identify Hacflet as the manor of Hockley to the South of Bradwell. Hockley was definitely a manor and was also approached by a winding creek. In addition, it lies adjacent to a substantial Glebe that is specifically mentioned in the Domesday entry. The Manor of Hockley is mentioned in the Pipe Roll dated 1185. The farm is located off the East End Road, along 'Leeds Lane'. The manor seems to have passed along with Bradwell from early in the medieval period. <4>