Rickling Hall (EHER 3922)

Remains of 14th and 15th house and moat.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: A large quadrangular 14th to 15th century house with 17th and 18th century and later additions, built in what was probably the bailey of the former castle. A moat surrounds the house but the east arm with part of the north arm is now obliterated. Hall, now a farmhouse and moat, is 3/4 mile south of the church. The house is two-storied with brick walls and some plastered timber-framing. It stands in the bailey of the former castle and was built around 1500. Originally it consisted of two blocks. The range containing the great hall apparently became ruinous in the late 17th century and part was transformed into a large barn. Features include the brickwork (some remains of lozenge diapering), the gatehouse has a blocked four-centred archway, there is a re-used 14th century window. The outbuilding is also from around 1500 and is of brick with a king post roof (as in the main building). The moat is rectangular, the east arm with part of the north arm is obliterated and is apparently a conversion of part of the castle ditch and bailey. <1> The house is quadrangular with a courtyard having buildings on all sides. Only the great hall has gone. The best-preserved part is the gateway into the courtyard from the north, i.e. opposite the hall. A few cusped and pointed windows but apparently not in situ. <2> <3> Remains of a large 14th-15th century house built in the bailey of the former castle. The south range became ruinous in the late 17th century but still has some blocked and original windows and a porch. A moat surrounds the house but the east and part of the north arms are now obliterated. Site Assessment = South range extensively modernised but the rest of the building is outstanding. The moat is part of the bailey ditch. <4> 7 photos in the SMR of the moat and castle earthworks. <5> Other ref: <6> Remains of a large quadrangular building of the 14th to 15th centuries, built in what was probably the bailey of the former castle. "The buildings enclose what was once a courtyard, now a farmyard. The north range, formerly the gate house, and the south range, formerly containing the great hall, kitchen etc are the original buildings". The east range of around 1600 contains much reused material. Some original windows survive, including a 14th century one. <7> 1975. Field survey. Rickling Hall (name confirmed) as described by RCHM. The south range has been extensively modernised, but the rest of the building is outstanding. To the north, east, and west of the house are the remains of a homestead moat, best preserved in the west where it is about 20.0m wide and waterfilled. Though it utilises an earlier bailey ditch, this cannot be verified by ground inspection i.e. there is no inner bank. Published survey (25") revised. <8> See also: <9> - <12>