In Norman Times Widdington Hall was held by Robert Gemon

The present Widdington Hall was built around the 15th century. Its a moated hall house and was considerably altered in the 16th century when a long 5 bay wing was added to the north, making an L-shaped plan. The south front of the main block has 3 gables of unequal size and a modern gabled porch.The north wing, now used as a barn, has a red brick wall with black brick diapering on the west side and has a timber-framed and plastered east wall, with a weather-boarded base. On the west side there is part of a brick crow stepped gable with a chimney stack behind it. To the west of this there is an early C17 wing with a small staircase projection at the west end. The windows are modern casements. Roofs tiled, with a large square internal chimney stack to the main block. The interior has the original doorway from the former hall to the buttery wing and there is an open fireplace in the west wall of the present kitchen. There is a considerable amount of original roof construction. Only part of the moat now remains

Widdington Hall had a chapel, in the 18th century converted to a parlour, with three-foot thick walls. After Robert Gernon, it was possessed by the family Montfichet under whom it was held by the Lenveise alias Veyse alias Basey family. By marriage it came to John Duke, master of the pantry under Edward III. In 1516 Sir William Finderne of Amberden Hall, held it.

Notes:

1719 Richard Pamphilon

It is great seeing a building that was constructed such a long time ago and knowing that generations of my ancestors From James Perry 1676-1722, to my g.g.grandfather James Savel Perry(1834-1866) lived there. It would be nice to know who lives there now? Are there any photos of the rooms or the external structure, it's a bit hard getting a mental picture from written description, and it is a bit difficult for me to visit as I live in Australia.
Anne Willson

ANNE WILLSON (nee PERRY), 10 November 2010
Name: James PERRY
Sex: M

Birth: ABT 1684 in Widdington
Death: 21.04.1729 in Widdington

Occupation: Yeoman
Son.

Name: James PERRY
Sex: M
Birth: 1710 in Widdington
Death: 22.01.1787 in Widdington

Occupation: Yeoman

Widdington Burial 1757 - 1812
Perry widow 11 September 1760 born ?Meassen?
Perry James 3 October 1775 s/o Js & Sarah
Perry James 31 August 1777 s/o Js & Sarah
Perry Wm 18 June 1780 s/o James Jr.
Perry Sarah 7 August 1781 w/o James Jr.
Perry Cornelius 30 September 1781
Perry Mary 19 November 1782 w/o James
Perry James 6 April 1811 aged 26 yrs, of Saling

Widdington's Marriages & Banns 1718-1808
Murkin Francis 16 October 1769 Perry Susanna 1, 8, 15 October 1769
James Perry died on the 3 October 1775 Widdington Burials 1757 - 1812

Norman times Widdington Hall was held by Robert Gernon and Priors Hall by the Priory of St Valery in Picardy – there were monks living there and farming the land, with a chapel. There was also a private chapel at Widdington Hall, but in the early 12th century they combined to build a church dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. All that remains of this early building is a small window in the north wall of the chancel, but the present church follows basically the same plan.

Widdington Hall was owned by John Turner. 1666 about

Post Office Directory of Essex 1874 - list of inhabitants. George Woodcock Perry, farmer and miller, Widdington Hall

Will of Edmund Squire of Widdington Hall, Essex 1756 19 th October.

b (3). Widdington Hall, now a farmhouse, barn and moat, 150 yards E. of the church. The House is of two storeys, partly timber-framed and covered with plaster and partly of brick; the roofs are tiled. The earliest part of the house is of the 15th century; it then consisted of a Great Hall with a Buttery wing at the W. end, and probably a Solar wing at the E. end, but only the buttery wing and part of the W. end of the Hall are now standing. About the middle of the 16th century the house was lengthened towards the W., and a long wing was built, extending towards the N. Probably at the same time an upper floor was inserted in the Hall and cellars were excavated under it; they extend beyond the present building towards the E.; the Hall above them was shortened at some subsequent period. Probably early in the 17th century a low two-storeyed addition was made at the W. end of the main block. There is a small modern addition in the S. angle between the Hall and Buttery wing, and a small porch was added on the S. front.
The remains of the 15th-century house are particularly interesting. The existing building is of modified L-shape, with the wings extending towards the E. and N. The E. end of the E. wing contains the remains of the original Great Hall and the Buttery, now cut up into rooms; W of the Hall are the present Kitchenand Dining-room. The N. wing is now a cow-house with lofts over it, and the addition at the W. end of the main block is used as a cart-shed and has lofts over it. The N. S. and E. elevations are timber-framed and plastered. The S. Elevation has three gables; that on the E. is smaller than the others. A modern addition in the angle between the Hall and the Buttery probably represents the original porch to the Screens. At the E. end are two late 17th-century windows, of two lights; the upper window has a transom, and the lights above it are now blocked. The central chimney-stack between the two larger gables is plain, and of 16th-century thin bricks.