MINERAL WATERS AND MEDICINAL SPRINGS OF ESSEX. 227
significant that the Thanet Sand comes to the surface at West
Tilbury, close to the Hall, and from it, no doubt, the constituent
in question is derived. It was probably the presence of sodium
carbonate in this water which led to its being regarded as
medicinal in days when such waters were rare, owing to the
absence of deep wells.
Mr. Dalton writes that both the Tilbury wells "pass through
a greater or less depth of old Thames gravel into the Thanet
Sand, from which their waters derive the basic elements they
possess, whilst the decomposition of organic matter supplies the
sulphuric and nitric acids to replace some or all of the carbonic
acid of the original salts. The Hall Well, from its abundant
manurial accession, has no carbonates of soda or magnesia ; the
Rector's Well, depending more on casual advent of unfortunate
animals, still has them in fair quantity, together with enough
sodic chloride to suggest marine diffusion, the water being much
below half-tide level."
(12).—The Chigwell-Row Spring.—Morant, writing in 1768,
says110:—
The name [of the parish] was occasioned by a well in Chigwell-Row, behind
the wind-mill, among the trees, whose water has a purging quality, and the late
Dr. Frewin used to speak in its favour. That celebrated physician was born in
Chigwell-Row, . . . and he used to visit the place every two or three
years until his decease.111 Near this well, there is a hole or hollow place,
wherein is a water of the same nature, perhaps proceeding from the other.
Morant's statement leads one to infer that the well, though it
may have possessed the qualities ascribed to it, was never largely
resorted to. In any case, by the end of the century, it was
completely neglected.11'2
The well in question exists no longer. Upon a recent visit,.
however, Mr. Christy found that the older residents were able
still to point out its approximate site. This is in a meadow of
about thirty acres, called "Park Field," belonging to Mr.
Philip Savill and near his residence, "The Woodlands."113 The
well was on the steep southern slope of the bold hill-side of
110 Hist. of Essex, i., p. 164 (1768). All the later county historians merely copy from
Morant.
111 Richard Frewin (1681 ?-1761), M.D., was a son of Ralph Frewin, of London. He took
his degree at Oxford, where Frewin Hall takes its name from him, but practised in London.
He married and survived three wives.
112 See Lysons, Environs, iv., p. 129 (1796), and Ogborne, Hist. of Essex, p. 248 (1814).
113 We are indebted to Mr. Savill for his kindness in procuring information for us.