Little Stambridge

51. LITTLE STAMBRLDGE. (F.c.)

(O.S. 6 in. lxx. S.E.)

Little Stambridge is a small parish 1 m. N.E. of Rochford.

Secular

(1). Homestead Moat, at Rectory, 650 yards N. of Little Stambridge Hall.

(2). Little Stambridge Hall, house and moat, stands near the middle of the parish. The House is of two storeys with attics, the walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled. It was built in the 16th century and the central block, with the W. cross-wing, are of this date. The house was much altered and the walls almost entirely refaced when the present E. wing was built in the 18th century. At the S. end of the W. front is an original chimney-stack, with stepped offsets and moulded corbelling to the heads of the shafts. The front of the stack is diapered with blue bricks. The chimney-stack on the N. side of the centre block is probably similar, but now completely covered with ivy. Inside, the building has been much altered, but the roof retains some old timbers, including collar-beams and curved wind-braces.

The Moat is incomplete.

(3). Coombs, house, now three tenements, and moat, about ¾ m. S. of the Hall. The House is of two storeys timber-framed and weather-boarded; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably in the 16th century. The older part of the existing building is L-shaped on plan, with the wings extending towards the S. and W. In the 17th century the W. wing was heightened, and extending southwards from the W. end of this wing is a modern addition. The chimney-stack at the W. end of the W. wing is probably of 17th-century date. Inside the building some of the rooms have exposed ceiling-beams, one of the rooms has two exposed wall-posts with moulded heads, and in the roof over the W. wing is a cambered tie-beam.

The Moat is incomplete.

Condition—Of house, good.