THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 263
As the party were to have tea at Toot Hill it was interesting to note the
origin of the name of this little country hamlet "Toot" or "Taith" was the
name of a Norse Goddess, and the word was quite commonly applied to places,
as for instance at Tooting, Tooter's Hill, Tottenham, and so on, and it
indicated where there had been village settlements in the times of the
Vikings.
Unfortunately the rain began soon after Mr. McConnell's address and all
investigations in the woods was stopped. The party was obliged to press
forward over the field-paths to Toot Hill. By the way, Mr. Chalkley Gould
pointed out that the trenches were still quite distinct which had enclosed the
rectangular piece of ground where are now the cottages and gardens of
Toot Hill. The site commands a good view round three sides and across the
Roding valley.
The party reached the "Green Man" in a sharp shower. But an
excellent tea soon comforted everybody. Then an Ordinary Meeting, the
212th, was held for the election of new members, Mr. J. Chalkley Gould,
Vice-President, in the chair.
The following were elected members of the Club :—
Messrs. Edward Chichester, M.B. (London), Francis Dent (Hon. Sec.
Essex Bird Society), James Dietrichsen, (Mrs.) Dietrichsen, (Miss) Blanche
Hewett, B.Sc, Ernest C. Horrell, F.L.S. (Staff Instructor in Biology, Essex
County Council) John F. Rogers, Frank Sulley, William White, F.E.S.,
and Edward Wilshaw.
After the meeting, the rain having ceased, the ramble was continued by
very pleasant meadow-paths, and through an old disused lane, which was
stated to have been an ancient pack-horse road leading to the church. In the
lane and meadows the cowslip was extremely abundant, and many other
interesting plants were noticed. And then the antique wooden church of St.
Andrew's was reached, and carefully examined under the guidance of Mr.
Chalkley Gould. The Club visited Greensted Church on the first Field
Meeting held (March 29th 1880) when the late Captain Budworth acted
as guide (see Journal of Proceedings, vol. i., p. viii.) and in the report details of
the construction of the Church will be found. It is one of the oldest Churches
in the world, and the nave is probably the only example of a Saxon wooden
Church which has come down to us.
In the dusk of the evening the company seated themselves in the ancient
building whilst Mr. Gould gave a eloquent lay sermon on the partly legendary
life of Edmund, the saintly king of East Anglia, a story which from its local
and quaint interest may be summarised here : —
" England in the middle of the 9th century was still split up into petty
kingdoms, or sub-kingdoms, under the house of Wessex, that known as East
Anglia including the present counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and part of
Cambridgeshire. Of this kingdom, Edmund, a boy of 14 years, became ruler
in 855 and 856, and the decade which followed shewed him to be pious
and studious, though not the less a sportsman and a warrior.
1 It is recorded that the northern portion of East Anglia recognized his kingship in 855,
the southern part not until tho following year.