Historic Maldon: A brief history of the town’s iconic Moot Hall
Built as a family home in the 15th century, the Moot Hall is an icon of Maldon's High Street, playing several roles over six centuries.
Constructed in 1420, the Moot Hall is thought to be the first private brick-built residence in the UK. Brick churches pre-dated it, although homes at the time were largely built from timber frames filled with wattle and daub.
A wealthy local man named Sir Robert D'Arcy had the red brick tower built overlooking medieval Maldon. Along with the tower, there was a rear part of the house which was eventually demolished a century later, in 1536.
By 1560, the tower itself was falling apart. However, the Corporation of the Borough of Maldon stepped in to rescue it in 1576, purchasing the building for a whopping £55. It was bought to replace the town's old timber-built moot hall in Silver Street.
Incidentally, the name "Moot Hall" comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase for "meeting place", making Maldon's one of 15 surviving moot halls scattered throughout the country.
Queen Elizabeth I visited the Moot Hall in 1579 and was presented with an "enormous" sturgeon. While an unusual gift at first glance, it contained caviar, an appropriate souvenir from an old fishing town like Maldon.
The town's "new" Moot Hall housed Maldon Borough Council, the police station, a courtroom built by John Sadd & Sons, and even a prison at different points during its history.
However, during the 20th century, its use began to decline. The police moved to a purpose-built premises in West Square in 1912. This was followed in 1950, when the Magistrates Court moved out.
Finally, Maldon Town Council relocated to its current home at the Town Hall in 1994.
Today, the Moot Hall serves to educate visitors about the town's rich history and has become a popular wedding venue.
It is fair to say that Maldon High Street has grown and evolved around the Moot Hall, which has maintained largely the same familiar features for centuries.
In March, a colossal project was launched to research 450 years of documents from the Moot Hall.
At the time, Manager Victoria George told Nub News: "Project 600 gives a voice to those from the past, providing a fascinating insight into the lives of those who walked though this space before us."
Sources: Friends of the Moot Hall, David Ross (Britain Express) and 'Around Maldon' by John Marriage.
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