The name Matching is probably of Saxon origin, derived from Maeccingas, the settlement of the people of Maecca (Match). Matching Green has one of the largest village greens in Essex. Its almost triangular shape extends to 5.6 hectares (13.8 acres) and is lined along each edge by a variety of (mainly) detached cottages and houses ranging in age from the 14th to the 19th century, twenty-eight of which are listed buildings. Since there are relatively few trees, the buildings are important in defining the shape and size of the green.
The oldest surviving building in the area is "Lascelles" (on the west side), a Grade II listed hall house which dates from the 14th and mid-16th centuries. The Moat House, which lies on the north-east side of the green, was probably a manor house and dates from c.1500. Part of the former moat lies to the rear of the property.
Click here to view a map of Matching Green Conservation Area
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