xl Journal of Proceedings.
portions left standing consist of two half hexagonal towers, one on each
side of the gateway, which was approached by a drawbridge. Part of
one of the towers had fallen before the year 1819 :—See 'The New
British Traveller, or Modern Panorama of England and Wales,' by
James Dugdale, LL.D., vol. ii., p. 395, printed in 1819. They were,
however, perfect in 1760, when the drawing, from which the engraving
inserted in Grosse's ' Antiquities of England and Wales,' was made.
There is also there given the back view of the mansion which was
standing in 1772, and even down to 1803 they were much more perfect
than at present, as will be seen in the engraving in Brayley and
Britton's ' Beauties of England and Wales,' vol. v., inter pp. 428 and
429. Over the gateway or entrance were two large rooms, one above the
other, the dimensions of which were each 27 feet by 231/2 feet, lighted by
large windows. The above writer, who quotes pretty much in the same
terms from Grosse's ' Antiquities of England and Wales,' (London,
1773, vol, i.) says:—"The ceiling of the first story is sustained on
wainscot arches, resting, in front, on three blank shields and a truss,
composed of a radiant rose, and on the back on four trusses, the first
and third of which represent griffins; the second and fourth a bear and
ragged staff; the most western of the shields is supported by two horses;
the second is held by a spread eagle, supported by a lion and unicorn ;
and the third rests on a lioness and bull ducally crowned. Near the
chimney is a colt's head, in an ornament of the carving. This storey
has been wainscotted to about the height of eight feet; above the
wainscot, on the plaster, are various figures in compartments, wretchedly
painted, to represent the most eminent personages of sacred, profane,
and fabulous history. On the summit of the gateway are some remains
of two curiously twisted chimneys, and beneath the windows above the
entrance is a machicolation and a trefoil ornament with shields and a
flew de lis. The whole building was surrounded by a moat, and the
moat itself encompassed by a wall. Several of the Colt family who are
supposed to have erected this mansion are buried in Roydon Church."
Grosse further adds that part of this outer wall was standing in 1769,
and that the place where the portcullis has been might yet be seen. It
may be added to the previous description that at the present time in the
easternmost tower is a brick staircase, the steps of which are faced with
oak, and, although dilapidated, it is still frequently ascended. The
hand rail, which was a good specimen of cut brick, was to a large extent
wantonly broken away. Continuing easterly from the same tower is a
crenolated wall, loop-holed for shooting from, and at each corner of the
tower yard (which is a large square) is a turret also loop-holed. For
many generations the family of Colt held, amongst other lands in the
counties of Essex and Suffolk, the manor of Nether Hall, as may be
seen by inquisitions taken ou the deaths of several of them—the earliest
being Thomas Colt, who died in the loth year of Edward IV. (1475).
Whether this family built this mansion, as has been supposed, or not,
there is no certain evidence, but probably it was not built much before
this period. They most likely made it their principal residence, as
several of them are interred in Roydon Church. But George Colt,
whose inquisition was taken in the 14th year of James I. (1616) died at
Cavendish, in Suffolk, where he also had possessions. In the inquisition
referred to this mansion is described as "all that capital messuage and
mansion (or dwelling) house (mansional domus) called Nether Hall House,
with the appurtenances, situate lying and being within the parish of
Roydon, in the county of Essex, and of all houses, edifices, courts,
cottages, orchards, gardens, lands, tenements, meadows, pastures,
feedings, woods, underwoods, waters, fishings, commons, ways, foot-