98
THE COMING OF AGE OF
Mr. Holmes' "Geological Notes on a supposed Earthwork near
the Railway Station at Harlow" (Ibid. IX., 59) which led to a
friendly controversy with Mr. I. C. Gould (Ibid., 65 and reply
p. 68).
Many other contributions to the records of the existence of
early man in Essex appear in our pages. In 1891 Mr. J. French
called attention to the existence of ancient lake remains at
Felstead and in the neighbourhood (Essex Naturalist VI., 34),
and the Rev. J. W. Kenworthy gave us in 1899 his most interest-
ing paper on "A Supposed Neolithic Settlement at Skitt's Hill,
Braintree," the value of which is enhanced by Mr. Reader's
remarks on the archaeological remains, Mr. Holmes' notes on the
geology of the district and Mr. Newton's remarks on the osteo-
logical specimens (Ibid. XL, 94—126). The notes by Mr.
Holmes 011 the ancient cemetery at Saffron Walden (Proc.
IV., cc.) bring us down again to a later period in human history.
The mysterious "Red Hills" or "Salting Mounds" so numerous
about the estuaries of the Essex rivers were referred to at a
meeting held at Colchester and Mersea in 1884 (Proc. IV., cxiii.)
and a paper on these remains was published by Mr. Stopes in
1887 (read in 1884; Essex Naturalist I., 96). Our Hon.
Secretary, Mr. W. Cole, is among those who have given latest
attention to the subject, having explored several of these
mounds, and has come to the conclusion that they may have
been the sites of ancient potteries. This view is most probable,
but the final answer to the questions as to their age and
object can only be solved by further systematic excavation, and,
as Mr. C. H. Read urged in his recent address, it is to be hoped
that this work will be undertaken by the Club.
A glance at the map indicating the distribution of ancient
earthworks throughout Essex will show that we have visited
many, published good accounts of some, and explored none with
the exception of the two Epping Forest camps above referred
to. Four "camps" are described in great detail in the Essex
Naturalist, viz., Withambury by Mr. F. C. J. Spurrell (I., 19),
Danbury by the same author (IV., 138), Haesten's Camp at
Shoebury by the same author (IV., 150) and the Uphall Camp,
Barking, by Mr. Walter Crouch (VII., 131). In 1897 Mr. T. V.
Holmes communicated his "Notes on Ancient Defensive Earth-
works in connection with those of Rayleigh 'Castle,' Essex"