THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 129
that from Billericay to the King's Head at Tilbury." This road seems to have
been not only extremely narrow, but full of ruts of "incredible depth"; in
addition he was perpetually meeting with chalk waggons, themselves stuck fast.
Yet, he adds, "a turnpike was much solicited for by some gentlemen, to lead from
Chelmsford to the Ferry at Tilbury Fort, but opposed by the Bruins of this
country, whose horses are torn to pieces with bringing chalk through those vile
roads. I do not imagine that the kingdom produces such an instance of detestable
stupidity; and yet in this tract are found numbers of farmers who cultivate above
£1,000 a year."3
But his excusable indignation at the state of the roads did not prevent him from
admiring the views from Laindon Hills, of which he thus writes :—"I forgot to
tell you that near Horndon, on the summit of a vas hill, the most astonishing
prospect that ever was beheld by human eyes breaks almost at once upon one of
the dark lanes. Such a prodigious valley, everywhere painted with the finest
verdure, and intersected with numberless hedges and woods, appears beneath you,
that it is past description ; the Thames winding through it, full of ships, and
bounded by the hills of Kent. Nothing can exceed this amazing prospect unless
it be that which Hannibal exhibited to his disconsolate troops when he bade them
behold the glories of the Italian plains ! If ever a turnpike should lead through
this country, I beg you will go and view this enchanting prospect, though a journey
of forty miles is necessary for it. I never beheld anything equal to it in the west
of England, that region of landscape."
During the French Invasion scare of 1803, beacon fires of straw faggots and tar
barrels were made ready on the tops of the hills of Laindon, Danbury, Purfleet,
etc., and farmers around were requested not to burn weeds for fear of false alarm.
Laindon' Hill was especially a marked spot, Marshal Saxe having asserted, many
years before, that with 10,000 men he would hold it for six weeks against any enemy.
Though our journey of 40 miles from London to Laindon and back was quick,
easy, cheap, and luxurious to a degree that, if foretold to Arthur Young, would
have seemed to him wildly Utopian, the weather prevented us from enjoying
anything that could fairly be called an "enchanting prospect," and consequently
from getting much physiographical instruction from the views. We had in
addition to lament the unavoidable absence of Mr. Walter Crouch, as mentioned
above, and the loss of the notes on the chief points of archaeological and historical
interest in the surrounding district, which he has kindly promised to furnish.
The places he had intended to mention are all easily seen from Laindon, on a clear
day. We may hope, however, to be more fortunate as regards both circumstances
on some future occasion.
Under the guidance of the Rev. Alfred Poole, the Rector, and Mr. S. W. Squier,
J.P., we next visited the old church, now used only as a mortuary chapel. It is
on the west slope of the hill, below the Rectory, and embowered as it now is
among the trees, it forms with its wooden spires and porch, a very picturesque
3 It is asserted, as an explanation of the bad roads of former times in Essex, that the farmers
chose not to invite, by providing goods and easy means of travelling, the prying visits of their
non-resident squires and rectors, to look after rent and tithes :—
" They wor fine times for farmers then, and fine goin's on too,
One crop o' mustard ud buy the land wi'out much ado.
Landlords and rectors they was birds o' which you only heard,
They'd send for rent or tithe, but twarn't often they appeared ;
For that matter the tenants didn't werry much wish they should,
And they kept the old roads most as bad as ever they could."
"The Old Essex Clerk."—Ed.