THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
225
Jackson bought Mr. Dinghy's three shares for £6,750, and became sole proprietor,
the venture up to that time not having paid any interest. The property afterwards
passed to the Gurneys of Norwich, and a few years since to Messrs. Truman,
Hanbury, Buxton and Co., who are the present owners. In 1779 and 1780 the
City of London caused a survey to be made by Mr. R. Whitworth of the country
between Bishop's Stortford and Cambridge, with a view to extend the navigation
to the latter town, the canal to be called the North London and Cambridge
Junction; the estimated cost was £567,000. The plans are still in existence, but
the advent of railways and other causes put a stop to the project, which has never
been renewed. There are not wanting signs of a revival of interest in canals and
navigable rivers, and it is sincerely to be wished that so natural and pleasant a
mode of conveyance may yet have a bright future before it.
An account of the natural history of the Stort valley must be left for a future
occasion. Many parts of the river are very picturesque, in the quiet pastoral
manner, and the water meadows and banks abound in interesting river-side and
marsh plants. These will be found catalogued in Gibson's "Flora of Essex"
and the recently published "Flora of Hertfordshire." During our little voyage
but scanty time could be allotted to botanical observations, and Prof. Boulger's
note-book contained but little beyond the fact that Iris pseudacorus was seen
plentifully in the ditches, and large trees of alder were noted on the banks in some
places; and near Sawbridgeworth a fine tree of Euonymus europaeus (the spindle)
attracted attention. On the walls of one of the locks near Harlow was a splendid
crop of Marchantia polymorpha (one of the Hepaticae) in full "fruit," i.e., with
numerous archegonial branches. The only insect worthy of special note was
taken near this spot by Mr. White—a specimen of Osmylus chrysops, a rather
uncommon relative of the pretty but ill-smelling "lace-wing flies" of our gardens
and orchards.
About midway between Stortford and Sawbridgeworth a break was made in
the voyage to enable the parly to examine Wallbury Camp, which lies on an
eminence on the Essex side overlooking the river. This earthwork comprises
about 30 acres, the circumference being not less than three-quarters of a mile ; the
ditch is double, in some places of great depth and width, and well preserved
except on one side, where it has been filled up for agricultural purposes. Morant
states that "the precipice on the north has some additional work on the brow of
the hill; the other three sides seem to be in their original state." Mr. Roach
Smith has called attention to what may be called postern entrances on the side
facing the Stort, intended apparently (as Mr. F. Rivers suggested) for cattle and
horses to descend to the low ground for water. It is stated by the author of the
"Excursions in Essex" that the area of the camp was a rabbit warren until
ploughed up and divided into fields, many years ago. At the north-west corner is
a farm house, "the south part of which, especially the cellar, is built of rough
but strongly compacted work in which are some sharp-pointed arches."
This "camp" has long been known, and has been commonly called Roman by
the compilers of histories of the county. Dr. Salmon laboured to prove that here
was the Aluana Silva of the monk Ravennas, and brings arguments forward to
prove the Roman theory, the most pertinent being that a path from the north-east
corner of the camp (shown on the Ordnance map) opens into a lane called "Port-
lane" (which runs from Wallbury towards Hallingbury-street, in the direct way to
the "Stane street" leading from Stortford to Colchester), and that the adjacent
lands are known as "Port-lane Fields." He adds that "in Beggars-hall Coppice,