Halnaker House, Boxgrove
Has been described as a Possible Palace (Royal), and also as a Possible Fortified Manor House
There are masonry ruins/remnants remains
| Name | Halnaker House, Boxgrove |
| Alternative Names | |
| Historic Country | Sussex |
| Modern Authority | West Sussex |
| 1974 Authority | West Sussex |
| Civil Parish | Boxgrove |
The fortified medieval house of Halnaker survives well and retains much original fabric representing the various phases in its development. The buildings, earthworks and buried remains will contribute towards our understanding of the development of high status medieval residences and will contain artefacts and environmental evidence relating to the function of the buildings and the activities of their inhabitants.
The monument, which falls into two separate areas of protection, includes a fortified medieval manor house and part of its garden and landscaped grounds, situated at the end of a chalk spur which projects to the south from the main ridge of the Sussex Downs, some 5km north east of Chichester.
The main buildings, which survive mainly as ruins incorporated into a modern garden, range around a roughly north-south aligned, quadrangular walled courtyard, constructed during the 13th and 14th centuries, with later alterations and additions. Traces of an earlier, 12th century, house built by Robert de Haye, are likely to survive as below-ground archaeological features. The buildings are constructed of flint rubble and clunch with sandstone ashlar dressings, with some later brickwork added during subsequent alterations and repairs. The courtyard was entered through the southern range by means of a grand gatehouse, built in the 14th century, which was originally defended by a portcullis. The gatehouse was decorated with high quality dressed flintwork, of which two storeys survive. Also surviving within the southern range are the remains of the tower at the south western end and traces of 16th century additions.
Across the courtyard in the northern range, were the principal domestic apartments. The centrally placed entrance porch, which is of 14th century date, provided access to the main hall above it, which was elaborately decorated in the 16th century by Lord de La Warr, with intricately carved panels and other enrichments
After further modifications in the 18th century by the Duke of Richmond, the house was allowed to fall into decay during the early 1800s. The eastern range is occupied by the remains of further domestic apartments and a 13th century chapel, dedicated to St Mary Magdelene, which remained in use until 1704, with a courtyard on its southern side. There are no visible remains of the western range, but evidence for buildings will survive in the form of buried features. The standing ruins are Listed Grade I.
Water was supplied to the house via a well situated immediately north of the courtyard, and during the post-medieval period, by a sunken, octagonal reservoir, situated on higher ground about 130m to the north east. This feature, which descends in three terraces to a central depression at a depth of about 3m, is known as 'The Cockpit'and may have been subsequently used for cock-fighting. Cartographic evidence suggests that the reservoir, a rectangular garden earthwork and brick revetted terracing to the west of the main courtyard, date to the 18th century.
Historical sources indicate that the medieval park in which the house was situated originated in a grant of 1283. By 1570, the park was estimated to be four miles in compass and capable of sustaining 800 deer.
Further buried archaeological evidence and environmental remains associated with the house and gardens can be expected to survive in and around the main courtyard, and may extend beyond the boundaries of the scheduling. (Scheduling Report)
The de Haye family built a big mansion here in the C13, which was altered in the C16 and fell into ruins about 1800. What remains are the stone gateway in the centre of the south front with square towers, and parts of the C13 chapel and C14 hall in flints. (Listed Building Report)
A fortified medieval manor house and part of its garden and landscaped grounds. The main buildings, which survive mainly as ruins incorporated into a modern garden, range around a roughly north-south aligned, quadrangular walled courtyard, constructed during the 13th and 14th centuries, with later alterations and additions. Traces of an earlier, 12th century, house built by Roger de Haye, are likely to survive as below-ground archaeological features. The buildings are constructed of flint rubble and clunch with sandstone ashlar dressings, with some later brickwork added during subsequent alterations and repairs. The courtyard was entered through the southern range by means of a 14th century gatehouse of which two storeys survive. Also surviving within the southern range are traces of 16th century additions. After further modifications in the 18th century by the Duke of Richmond, the house was allowed to fall into decay during the early 1880s. The eastern range is occupied by the remains of domestic apartments and a 13th century chapel. There are no visible remains of the western range, but evidence for all buildings will survive in the form of buried features. The standing ruins are Listed Grade I. Water was supplied to the house via a well situated north of the courtyard, and during the post-medieval period, by a sunken, octagonal reservoir, situated on higher ground 130 metres to the north east. This feature, which descends in three terraces to a central depression at a depth of about 3 metres, is known as 'The Cockpit' and may have been subsequently used for cock-fighting. Cartographic evidence suggests that the reservoir, a rectangular garden earthwork and brick revetted terracing to the west of the main courtyard, date to the 18th century. (PastScape)
This site is a scheduled monument protected by law
This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law
Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | SU908088 |
| Latitude | 50.8721084594727 |
| Longitude | -0.710810005664825 |
| Eastings | 490830 |
| Northings | 108860 |
