Rye
House, a very ancient mansion, which stood in the parish
of Stansted on the road to Hoddeston, is very much celebrated
in the history of England. It was built as a castle by
Andrew Ogard in the reign of Henry VI. In the early nineteenth
century part of the building (which at that time served
as a workhouse to the parish) had both battlements and
loopholes, and was likely the gate of the castle .
The
house is interesting as it was supposedly the site intended
for the assassination of Charles II in 1683. At that time
the house was teneted by one Rumbold, a maltster, who
had served in the army of Oliver Cromwell. Rumbold was
involved in a plot to kill the king and he suggested a
plan to his fellow conspirators to assassinate Charles
on his yearly visit to Newmarket to watch the races -
Rye House being on the road the king would take. Rumbold
suggested they overturn a cart on the road by Rye House,
forcing the king's carriage to stop, and then fire upon
him from the hedges, making their escape afterwards via
back lanes.
Fortunately
for Charles, the conspirators were caught, and the assassination
never eventuated.
