Heron Hall

Heron Hall, formerly known as No. 50 Billericay Road, is a house of late 17th-century date, situated on the north side of Billericay Road at Herongate. It was altered substantially during the 19th and 20th centuries.

The building is constructed of red and blue brick in Flemish bond, with a roof mostly of handmade red clay tiles and some machine-made red clay tiles. It follows a double range plan: the principal range runs approximately north-south with two internal stacks, a shorter range lies to the west with a gable stack to the south, and a lower east-west service range completes the rectangular footprint with one internal stack against the south wall. A 20th-century conservatory runs the full length of the west elevation, and a 20th-century single-storey lean-to with stack has been added to the north.

The building stands two storeys high. The blue headers and red stretchers are laid in a regular pattern with cement pointing. The front elevation features a 20th-century 6-panel door set within an early 19th-century gabled brick porch with a semi-elliptical arch of gauged brick and a fanlight with geometrical and foliate cast-iron tracery. Parapet gables are present. All windows are 3-light casements with segmental brick arches. On the front elevation's ground floor, one casement is a 20th-century replacement while the other is original but partly obscured by the porch, retaining one fixed light and one wrought-iron casement both with rectangular leading and heavy iron bars of diamond section. The first floor has two 20th-century replacements. The left elevation has 20th-century replacements throughout, though three apertures on each floor and one at half-height appear to be original. The service wing's rear elevation contains two complete original windows and one 20th-century replacement; on the first floor is one original window (except the central casement) and one replacement. The right elevation of the service wing retains an original door-frame with segmental arch, though the door itself has been altered. The roof is hipped at both ends. The right elevation of the main house has two 20th-century replacements on the ground floor and three original first-floor windows with rectangular leading and early glass, save for the replaced central casements.

Inside, early features are sparse. A corridor wall near the left elevation on the first floor contains an oval borrowed light with geometrical tracery. The service wing preserves an old brick floor and cooking hearth; much of its first floor is missing. The roof structure is of butt-purlin type.

Historical records suggest the house was probably built by John Tyrell (1593–1675), whose initials appear in wrought-iron on two associated buildings with similar brickwork. The timing of his inheritance of the manor from his brother Thomas is uncertain, but as a Royalist he suffered losses during the Civil War and Commonwealth period. Following the Restoration, he became Member of Parliament for Maldon. The house and associated buildings were likely constructed after 1661.