266
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Tudor country house, built wholly of red brick, as were most of the many-
fine Essex houses of the period—one of great prosperity in the county. Two-
gables on the western side appear, however, to be considerably—probably more
than a century—earlier, and they have carved barge boards. The interior of the
house shows much fine oak panelling. In the dining room hang portraits of the
Ruggles family, to which Mr. Ruggles-Brise belongs, by Russell, the great
pastel-painter, dating 1794. Among them is one of Mr. Thomas Ruggles (who
died 1813), a prominent agriculturist in his day and one of the original founders
of the Board of Agriculture, and an intimate friend of Arthur Young, the famous
traveller, writer on agriculture, and Secretary of the Board, of whom also there
is an original portrait in oils by Russell. Young was a frequent visitor to Spains
Hall and a number of his letters are preserved in the house.
With regard to the period of the house (which in the guide-books is commonly
referred to the "spacious days of Great Elizabeth") Dr. Henry Laver, F.S.A.,
in a letter to the Editor, dated July 22nd, remarked :—"Spains Hall is in a very-
small degree Elizabethan. All the north side, where the old entrance was, with
a later bridge across the moat, is not later than Henry VIII. ; the chimneys,
several of them, are also of this period In fact the house may be said to be of
the time of Henry VIII. with Elizabethan and later additions. It was also a
moated house, and I was able, when I saw it, to find very evident traces of the
whole course of the moat. I mention this, as the Tudor, as distinct from
Elizabethan work might be possibly passed over, but after careful study there can.
be no doubt of the period. The first thing which struck me, in driving up to the
house, was the distinctly pre-Elizabethan chimneys."
During the afternoon a formal Ordinary Meeting (the 249th) was held on the
lawn, the President in the chair.
The following were elected members of the Club: -Mr. G. L. Bruce, M.A.,
Woodberry Knoll, Loughton; Colonel A. Gordon. Wethersfield Place, near
Braintree; and Mr. Harold F. Hodgson, 60, High Street, Brentwood,
On the motion of the President a very cordial vote of thanks was passed, amid
hearty applause, to Mr. and Mrs. Ruggles-Brise, for their kind and hospitable
reception of the Club.
Mr. Ruggles-Brise showed a large manuscript map, dated 1618, of the
Spains Hall Estate, with pheasants, rabbits, squirrels, and other animals
curiously represented in the woods surrounding the mansion.
Owing to lack of time, a paper by the Hon. Secretary (Mr. William Cole,
F.L.S.), on "The Exploration of some Red Hills in Essex, with remarks upon
the Objects found" (see Essex Naturalist, Vol. xiv., pp. 170-183), had to be
taken as read.
The return journey was made by way of Great Bardfield, the Salings, and.
Rayne. Tea was taken by the way at the ancient "Vine Inn" at Bardfield,
and the members returned to their homes by evening trains from Braintree,.
having enjoyed a singularly pleasant meeting.
EXCURSION TO RAYLEIGH HILLS, ESSEX (HADLEIGH,
THUNDERSLEY, AND DAWES HEATH).
Saturday, September 15TH, 1906.
A Field Meeting in conjunction with the Geologists' Association was held
ou this afternoon. The Directors were A. E. Salter, D.Sc., F.G.S., and