According to Pevsner, Essex, 1953 p. 169, the panels are said to have come from Melchet Abbey, but was bought at a London sale by a donors.
Melchet Abbey does not exist. Perhaps Pevsner means Melchet Court which belonged to Lord Ashburton.
In 1862, his son, William, 2nd Lord Ashburton, demolished the old mansion and started building the Elizabethan style property that stands today. After William’s death in 1864, his wife, Louisa, Lady Ashburton, continued the building work which was completed in 1867. In August 1872 a fire destroyed parts of the house and restoration work was carried out between 1875 and 1879. Louisa, Lady Ashburton, died in 1903 and in 1911 the estate was purchased by Sir Alfred Mond a founder member of the chemical company ICI. Extensive alterations were made to the house between 1912 and 1914. During the First World War the house was turned into a 60 bed convalescent hospital for wounded servicemen. Sir Alfred Mond was created 1st Baron Melchet of Landford in 1928. Following his death in 1930, the estate was put up for auction in 1935. After conversion, the house opened as a school in 1939 but in the spring of 1940 it was requisitioned by the army and became the head quarters of Southern Command under the command of Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery. With the threat of invasion over the army left in Melchet Court c. 1915 September 1940.