188 MINERAL WATERS AND MEDICINAL SPRINGS OF ESSEX
Turning to Essex, we find that, in it, as in most other
counties, there are a considerable number of springs which have
been, in the past, valued for medicinal purposes and visited
more or less extensively by persons desiring to drink their
waters. Altogether, rather more than a score of such wells
have, in the past, attracted the attention of the medical faculty
and have attained, in consequence, a certain measure of fame.
One of these wells (that at Wanstead) became known at the
very beginning of the Seventeenth Century. Some eight others
(namely, those at Witham, South Weald, Upminster, Little
Leighs, "Felstead" (i.e., Little Dunmow), Markshall, Wood-
ham Ferrers, and Colchester) were known and used at least as
early as the end of the Seventeenth Century. About a dozen
others (namely, those at Woodford, West Tilbury, Havering,
Chigwell Row, Wethersfield, Gidea Hall, Hornchurch, Staple-
ford Abbots, Springfield, Twinstead, Plaistow, and Ilford)
appear to have been discovered during the Eighteenth Century.
Only two (namely, those at Hockley and Dovercourt) first
became known during the Nineteenth Century.
Of these wells, the Rev. Dr. W. Martin Trinder, of Romford,
wrote4 in 1783 that,
" The many very different medicinal waters in Essex, as they lay a claim to
the cure of many different diseases, are proper objects of congratulation to the
county, . . .
" That the Essex waters have been, in many cases, useful and efficacious
needs no proof ; but that women receive greater benefit from them than the men
will clearly appear, if, besides other reasons, we recollect that they are, in
general, more observant of their physician's advice and closer followers of the
salutary rules of temperance."
Nevertheless, even before this time, our Essex springs seem
to have declined greatly in fame. Morant, writing in 1768,
says5 of the Mineral Waters of the county that "none have kept
up their reputation, except Tilbury Water."
The "Gentleman," writing two years later, evidently follows
Morant, but is more explicit. He says6 :—
" The physical gentlemen formerly made various attempts to discover medicinal
waters [in Essex], and, by their industry, had raised those of Tilbury, Witham,
Chigwell, and Upminster to some degree of credit ; but the three last, of late
years, have sunk into obscurity, whilst the former deservedly retains the highest
reputation."
4 Medicinal Waters in the County of Essex, pp. vi.-viii. (1733).
5 Hist. of Essex, i., p. xxv, (1768).
6 Hist. of Essex, i., pp. 9-10 (1770).