THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.
37
received when before the Sub-Committee brought out all the weak
and the strong points of any proposal.
During the last two years several Meetings of the Club have been
held, many of them of great interest.
On the 29th April, 1893, a Field Meeting was held at Uphall Camp, and
extended over the famous Elephant Hunting Grounds of our friend Mr. Henry
Walker.
On the 13th May, 1893, another Field Meeting was held at Chingford, Bury
Wood, and Sewardstone.
On the 17th June, 1893, we had another very pleasant Field Day to Bicknacre,
Danbury, and Maiden, when the Churches of Great Baddow, Danbury, and
Woodham Walter were examined, and the fragment that remains of Bricknacre
Priory. At Danbury the Camp was examined and made more intelligible by Mr.
F. C. J. Spurrell's Plan. The Naturalists and Botanists of the party were inter-
ested in their ramble over Lingwood Common, through Holly and Long Woods,
in the latter especially, by the pair of young night jars, which had been carefully
watched over by our member, Mr. Smoothy. The inspection of the remains of
Woodham Walter Hall, the once baronial residence of the Fitzwalters, completed
a very interesting excursion.
An Ordinary Field Meeting was held on the 1st July, 1893, at Barkingside
and Wanstead, which was more particularly interesting to the Geologists.
One of the most interesting meetings of the year, was held on July 29th, 1893,
when all Sections of the Club were in turn interested, as the day's Water Excur-
sion on the River Stour, through the Vale of Dedham, was developed. The
wealth of the botanical display along the banks of the river, so ably explained
and identified by Mr. Chas. Wright, became interesting even to others who had
not taken up Botany, as a subject of study. The artists of the company were
reminded that we were travelling through John Constable's Country, of whom
Mr. C. Benham gave a very interesting account. At Dedham the Archaeologists
were charmed with the fine old Church and its grand old tower, and the
Monuments to the Webbes the merchant princes connected with the Bay and
Say Trade, and the remains of the old Mill, used in the manufacture of those
articles.
A very agreeable Meeting was held on August 2nd, 1893, when the Club was
met at Castle Hedingham by "The sette of Chelmsford Odde Volumes." Castle
Hedingham is always interesting. The grand old Castle, outliving the Grand
Old Family to whom it owes its origin, is still an object of engrossing interest to
the Architect and Archaeologist.
On August 11th and 12th, 1893, another Meeting was held at, or I might say
in, those absorbing remains, The Deneholes. Through the exertions of the Club,
many of these have now been connected, so that under the able guidance of the
gentlemen who conducted the explorations (Mr. T. V. Holmes and Mr. W. Cole),
assisted by Mr. Crouch, we travelled through the whole series without having to
come to the surface.
On August 19th, 1893, the Club, upon the kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs.
Lescher, visited Boyles Court, near Brentwood, and inspected the fine Museum of
Stuffed Birds, collected by the late Mr. J. D. Hoy.
At the meeting held on the 4th November, 1893, Mr. Cole, the Hon. Sec.
announced that Mr. G. P. Hope, of Upminster, had presented to the Museum of