THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 31
and nobody gave in. More convincing testimony to the genuine attraction of the
place and the project could not be imagined. At Cabin Plain a large tent had
been pitched, and tea was provided, after which the details of the scheme were ex-
plained by Mr. Buxton, and complimentary speeches were made by Professor
Meldola. President of the Essex Field Club, Mr. Shaw Lefevre, President of the
Commons Preservation Society, Sir Robert Hunter, Mr. David Howard, Mr. F. C.
Gould, and other gentlemen. A curious and slightly sinister background was
formed by a ring of gipsies, who have a very particular interest in the matter, and
who drew near to listen to their fate. They did not betray the slightest emotion,
perhaps because several constables were present in their honour, or dishonour."
A vote of thanks to Mr. Buxton for his persevering and most successful work
in connection with the scheme, was passed with acclaim, and Mr. Buxton, in
reply, wished to emphasise his indebtedness to his colleagues on the Commons
Preservation Society for loyal and effective support during the difficult negotiations.
After giving a short sketch of the history of the Hainault enclosures, the
Times Correspondent continued : —
" The present scheme is to reverse the former process and reclaim a substantial
portion of this lost forest. The author of it and the conductor of the negotiations
—with the moral support of the Commons Preservation Society—is Mr. Buxton
who has long been a vigilant and generous champion of the preservation of nature
for the benefit of the people. The extent of his success and the amount of land
reclaimed will depend on the public response, which has so far been very
encouraging. Topographical details without a map would be merely confusing,
but some idea of the plan can be given. The negotiations already entered into
cover two separate areas, one of about 800 acres and the other of 70 acres. The
nucleus of the first is Lambourne Common, which consists of 188 acres of virgin
forest land. It is here that the gipsies camp. Their number varies, but, as a
rule, runs into several hundreds. On Saturday they had between 60 and 70 vans
on the green, besides tents. They help themselves to the trees for firewood, and
their depredations, which are painfully visible, have long exercised the mind of the
Commons Preservation Society. In fact the necessity of getting rid of the gipsies
has considerably stimulated the scheme. It is proposed to acquire the timber and
the manorial rights of the common, and to add to it three adjoining plots of
enclosed land. One of these is still in a forestal state, the others are cultivated.
The most important is an area of 475 acres belonging to the Crown. The ground
is high and hilly, and commands a view right across the Thames. The remaining
and separate portion is known as Grange Hill Forest. It lies near Woodford
Bridge and is a beautiful piece of pure forest. In all there will be 346 acres of
forestal and 527 acres of cultivated land. Mr. Buxton's idea is not to plant the
latter with the trees, but to lay it down in grass and sow trees, or let them sow
themselves, which they do in a very interesting manner. Thorns and briars soon
spring up and afford protection to the young saplings. In nearly every patch may
be found a young oak or hornbeam. The trees, it is to be noted, run considerably
larger, where they still exist, on the Hainhault side than in the greater part of
Epping Forest. There is no doubt that the whole area will become extremely
beautiful when reafforested. It lies high and will afford good golf links. It will
also be very accessible from the great eastward extensions of London by the new
Great Eastern loopline, now under construction, which turns north soon after
leaving Ilford and curves round by Barkingside and Chigwell Row to Woodford
Bridge."