290
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
cussed, the company walked to the very interesting little church of Bartlow, with
its round tower. This church cannot be claimed for Essex, but our county
contains churches with round towers at South Ockendon, Great Leighs, Pentlow,
Lamarsh, and Broomfield. Birchanger Church formerly had a round tower, but it
has been "restored" away. The period of all these churches is a subject of dis-
pute, but our member, Mr. J. M. Wood, in a letter to the Editor, says he is of
opinion that all the round-towered churches in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and
neighbouring counties, owe their origin to the Saxons.
A short stay for light refreshment was made at the "Three Hills Inn," and
then the carriages were re-entered for the return journey through Hadstock and
Little Walden, the road for some distance leading up the bed of a small stream
which divides the counties of Essex and Cambridgeshire. The quaint village of
Hadstock was reached shortly after two o'clock, and the church was at once
visited, the Rector, the Rev. Francis Smith, kindly acting as guide. Hadstock
Church is very interesting for its Norman architecture, presenting also consider-
able traces of Saxon work in its structure. The north door of this church, like that
of Copford, and doors at Worcester and Rochester Cathedrals, is said to have
been covered with the skin of a sacrilegious Dane, killed in the attempt to plunder
the sanctuary (see Mr. Maynard's paper on this subject further on). In the
churchyard is St. Botolph's well, with stone steps which lead to an area paved
with broad stones descending slope-wise into the well, as is usual in baths. In
"Sunken Church Field" are the foundations of extensive Roman villas. A visit
was also made to the rectory grounds.
Walden was reached at about four o'clock, and luncheon was at once taken at the
"Rose and Crown" Hotel. The Rector, the Rev. T. Stevens, very kindly
distributed copies of his little work on Saffron Walden Church to the members.
An adjournment was then made to the Museum, where the party was met by
Mr. W. Murray Tuke, Mr. Joseph Clarke, Mr. Maynard (the Curator) and Mr.
Charlesworth, all of whom did their utmost in pointing out and explaining the
vast collection of objects of interest to the naturalist, geologist, and antiquary, in
the building. The Museum as a local institution really deserves the epithet,
"Magnificent;" it is well housed, and the Curator's work is most admirably and
lovingly carried on by Mr. Maynard. Its present completeness is mainly owing
to the munificence of the late G. S. Gibson, Esq., to whose liberality the Museum
also owes one of its chief gems in the wonderful collection of Essex and Suffolk
Red and Coralline Crag Fossils, which have been arranged by Mr. E. Charlesworth,
F.G.S., and which is almost unsurpassed in this country. Mr. Tuke, in conduct-
ing the party through the Bird Room, pointed out that the collection was very
rich in specimens from the Eastern Counties, due in great measure to the
interest taken in this branch of Natural History in the early days of the Museum
by two or three of the founders, especially by Mr. Joseph Clarke, to whose exer-
tions the collection owes most of the water and many of the land-birds. Mr.
Tuke pointed out many of the rarer specimens from the neighbourhood of Saffron
Walden and other parts of Essex. 7
Mr. Charlesworth drew special attention to the excellent collection of Crag
Fossils, the gift of the late Mr. Gibson. The collection of shells from Walton-on-
the-Naze was explained to be of special value in view of the rapid disappearance
of the Crag deposit there. Amongst these, the unique specimen of Helix rysa
7 Mr. Tuke very kindly furnished the Editor with a list of these, but as they are all recorded
in Mr. Christy's "Birds of Essex," it is unnecessary to repeat them here.