Rayleigh Castle

[3] Adrian Pettifer notes that Rayleigh's plan is similar to that of two other motte-and-bailey castles in Essex: Pleshey and Ongar.

On the death of Hubert's son in the latter half of the 13th century, ownership of Rayleigh Castle reverted to the Crown.

Since the foundations are explicitly mentioned in the document giving permission, it is unlikely that any other masonry structures remained standing by then.

The National Trust who manage the site have no plans to remove the trees for fear of disturbing any potential archaeology below.

[citation needed] The Second World War Convoy rescue ship Empire Rest was originally laid down as a Castle-class corvette to have been named HMS Rayleigh Castle after the ruins.