Julie

I have been involved here since 2004 in various roles. Local history is my passion and Moot Hall is steeped in Maldon’s social, political and cultural history, having been at the centre of town life for 600 years. As a professional Historian and writer, I love sharing my research with the team and the public. There is always a new story to tell, so no two visits are ever the same.

I have written a number of articles and booklets related to Moot Hall and we are currently researching the Court Records which we look forward to sharing with visitors very soon.

John

I first became aware of the Moot Hall back in 2010 when I saw an advert for Guides. Having been retired for a few months I thought this may be quite interesting.

Very quickly I, like most people, became enamoured with the building and its history. Each room tells its own story and has its own special features. One of my personal favourite features is the way the door leading up to roof opens… you will have to visit to see this secret.

Sue

I became a tour guide in 2003 after answering an advert in the local paper. Little did I realise that I would still be here almost twenty years later. It has been a joy watching the building open its doors for an increasing number of purposes and to see many more people making memories there.

As a primary teacher I enjoy making the building come alive for our younger visitors. Often older visitors say, "I haven't been here since I was at school", there have been a few times recently when they have added,"and I think it was you who showed me round!"

I love feeling a tiny part of the history of this wonderful building. I always think that the characters who have inhabited and visited its ancient walls are keen to have their stories remembered and retold. Often visitors have their own history with the Moot Hall which we work into the tour.

Standing on the roof looking over a Maldon smothered in snow was an unforgettable and magical moment.

I think I love the old entrance door the most with its graffiti of boats, sailors and religious persecution. I wish it could talk!

Lisa

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have a job I love, working in a building that was central to shaping Maldon through both its location and historical importance.

I generally steward at ceremonies, but have also supported school visits, guided tours and the very popular Heritage weekends. Getting to see our couple’s day come to life as they have dreamt or imagined is a delight. From small intimate celebrations to the more gregarious (occasionally themed) days couples choose. Guests love to gather on the balcony appreciating the views and admiring the other buildings in the High Street from a different vantage point, unseen unless you take the time to look up. The view from the roof is well worth the steep climb up the tight spiral staircase. Guests delight in the views, recognising local landmarks and establishing which direction might lead to home.

Each of the 3 floors have their own distinct feel and whilst I love them all my particular favourite is the Committee Room with its exposed brickwork, beautiful wooden floors and the substantial solid doors with the markings from previous occupants during its time as a prison.

John

A few years after I retired, I started looking for voluntary work. One of the Moot Hall trustees who I knew, suggested I consider working there accompanying the guides on their tours of the building. So, in 2017 I became a volunteer at the Moot Hall. By 2018 I was no longer a volunteer but a paid guide doing tours on my own.

The Moot Hall is a unique building which has stood in Maldon High Street for 600 years. The Georgian front hiding the gems inside and I love to see the visitor’s reactions when they encounter some of them such as the brick spiral staircase, the courtroom, and the panoramic views from the roof.

It is difficult to decide which is my favourite part of the building. Perhaps it is the Court Room unchanged since 1810, or the roof where one can look down on Maldon’s old buildings.

I enjoy my role as a guide being able to share the history of the Moot Hall and Maldon with visitors and look forward to being able to do so in future years.

Steve

I joined the Moot Hall guide team about five years ago when the opportunity presented itself to me.

I first fell for this building back in the 1980s when I was a parent/helper at one of the local primary schools. I saw the spiral staircase, and WOW! I was hooked. When I learnt the history of the building and the significance of each of the rooms, I grew more and more entranced.

Add to that the view from the roof, the Spiritual Soup that Surrounds you in quiet moments, the D'Arcy's presence through history, and the proximity to All Saints Church next door, the connections with Elizabeth's I and II, Will the Bard, and you can see why it's easy for to me to wax lyrical about the building.

Notwithstanding its status as...you know, one of Britain's first decorated secular brick built buildings...

I Love it, Love it Love it!

My favourite room has got to be the Council Chamber. It’s impossible not to feel the weight of history in that room, Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth II…

Michael

I became involved with the Moot Hall a few years ago, when I was Mayor of Maldon, and attended Moot Hall meetings. Since then the place has grown on me.

I love that this fabulous slice of history sits modestly in the centre of Maldon, and then you go inside and the Tardis-like interior is revealed as you go from room to room. The spiral staircase is a work of art in its' own right and I particularly enjoy the smaller rooms where you can almost feel yourself being dragged back through the centuries.

On top of all that, it is a venue for weddings, meetings and sales of goods. With help from the Town Council and the management team, the Moot Hall is still pulling its' weight in the 21st century.

Richard

I was approached by Maldon Town council in 2008 and asked if I could help set up a charity to assist in the running of Moot Hall. I had never even visited the building – was it that small building with the portico over the pavement? When I went inside, I could not believe what a Dr Who’s Tardis is was – a treasure house of history! I immediately fell in love with the building and have been the Chair of Trustees ever since.

For my ‘Day Job’ I am a Director 3D printer manufacturing company, Raplas Technologies having retired from 41 years of working at Ford Motor Company as their European Technical Specialist for 3D printing. I am also the Founder and Director of the Combined Military Services Museum in Maldon. Needless to say, I have plenty of things to keep myself busy.

I recommend a visit to Moot Hall for anybody visiting the town of Maldon. I doesn’t matter if you are not interested in history – the building is so usual and full of surprises there is something to everyone to enjoy.

Phil

I joined the Moot Hall team in February 2020 as a part time caretaker alongside my similar role at the town hall. My duties include building maintenance, cleaning, preparation for weddings at the Moot Hall and flag raising ceremonies.

The views from the roof are amazing and I feel a real connection with Maldon now having discovered a relative on the historical documents on display.

Chris

I’m an Essex boy who moved away in my twenties and spent a lot of my working life overseas. When I retired early ten years ago, I fulfilled my dream of coming back to the county to live, moving to Maldon. I visited the Moot Hall on a guided tour in the first few weeks of living in the town and was blown away by the stories I heard that day about the history of this incredibly beautiful tower. So, it was a real privilege and honour for me to be accepted as a Tour Guide of this unique building. Each level of the tower houses so many fascinating artefacts and tales, which can tell us so much about life in this coastal Essex town over the past 600 years. Which part of the building is my favourite? I think it must be the stunning view of the fifteenth-century brick spiral staircase from the committee room on the ground floor. It really has to be seen to be believed.

Leanne

I was first introduced to the Moot Hall in 2018 and quickly became intrigued by this fascinating building. With an interest in social and cultural history, I began volunteering with Project 600 to help transcribe the court records and fell even more in love with it. As a keen genealogist I love scouring archives and historical records for insight into the way people before us lived and the Moot Hall is a unique source of untapped records. I am now looking forward to investigating the many names inscribed in the walls of the prison yard and linking up the graffiti with the crimes.