Rochford Hall facts for kids
Rochford Hall is a historic building located in Rochford, Essex, England. This old manor house once belonged to important people in English history. During the time of King Henry VIII, it was owned by Thomas Boleyn. He was known as Viscount Rochford. His daughter, Mary Boleyn, lived here with her second husband, Sir William Stafford. Mary Boleyn was also the sister of Anne Boleyn, another famous person from that era. Today, Rochford Hall is a private building. It is used by the Rochford Hundred Golf Club as their clubhouse. It is also a "Grade I listed building," which means it's a very important historical site that is protected.
The Story of Rochford Hall
Rochford Hall is a very old building with a long history. It was first built in 1216. You can still see this date carved into an old wooden beam inside the building! Some of the original arched doorways are also still there. In the 1500s, Rochford Hall was a large manor house. It had towers, a moat (a ditch filled with water around it), and a big main hall.
Who Lived at Rochford Hall?
Rochford Hall was part of a large inheritance for Sir Thomas Boleyn. He got it from his mother, Margaret Butler. Sir Thomas was given the title "Viscount Rochford" in 1525. Later, he became the Earl of Wiltshire and Ormonde in 1529. His titles came from his ownership of Rochford Hall.
In 1534, Sir Thomas's older daughter, Mary Boleyn, married William Stafford. Rochford Hall then became their main home. Later, in 1550, the Rochford estate was sold. It was bought by Richard, Lord Rich.
Changes Over the Years
By the late 1600s, the Child Family owned Rochford Hall. They also owned Wanstead House in Essex. The hall was then passed down through different families. These included the Tylney-Long family and later the Long-Wellesley family. In 1867, Henry Wellesley, 1st Earl Cowley sold the hall to a local farmer.
Rochford Hall was often rented out for long periods. Sometimes, the person in charge of the Tylney-Long family's large estates would live there.
Over hundreds of years, many changes have been made to Rochford Hall. There was a big fire in 1791 that caused a lot of damage. Inside the main hall, there is a beautiful stained glass window. It is about 20 feet (6 meters) tall. This window shows the coats-of-arms (family symbols) of some of the hall's past owners. This includes the crest of Anne Boleyn.
