188 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
decorated plaster and the elaborately-carved oak screen), the party were shown
original portraits of Lord Audley and his daughter, Lady Margaret, mother
of the builder of the mansion. Some interesting arms and armour collected by
Lord Howard de Walden were noticed. The party next passed through the
saloon, a large room hung with portraits of the successive holders of Audley
End. The ceiling is very richly decorated with pendants and arabesques, in
which the influence of Gothic fan-vaulting is clearly traceable. The other State
Apartments upstairs were also visited ; and, before leaving the mansion, the
archaeological museum formed by the 4th Lord Braybrooke was inspected. Here
are stored the results of many years' excavations on the Roman and other
ancient sites in the district. The collection comprises a fine series of Bronze
Age, late-Celtic, Romano-British, and Saxon pottery, with other articles.
Leaving the mansion, the party walked to the old building, which now serves as
stables and coach-house. This was originally the guest-house of the monastery,
and is a fine example of Tudor brickwork. It appears to have been the building
occupied by Lord Audley before the erection of the present mansion, and also to
have been visited, on two occasions, by Queen Elizabeth.
By the kind permission of Lord Braybrooke, the Club was enabled to cross the
extensive and beautifully-timbered park by a private path which brought them to
Saffron Walden, where lunch was taken at 1.30 p.m.
After this, the party visited the Friends' School, the oldest foundation-school
of the Society of Friends. It was established in'1707, removed to Croydon
in 1825, and to Walden in 1879. The school buildings, which have cost
upwards of £40,000, occupy a high and open situation overlooking the town,
and are well-equipped in every respect for the accommodation of 90 boys and
65 girls. A lecture-room, laboratories, swimming-bath, gymnasium, and large
dining hall are provided. The whole estate covers 16 acres.
The visitors were cordially welcomed by the principal, Mr. J. E. Walker, and
conducted over the building and playing-fields. The school Natural History
Society had prepared a special series of exhibits in their "den," in view of the
Club's visit, some of which were of considerable interest. Various orchids,
freshly-gathered on the chalk lands, were on show, and a particularly interesting
exhibit was a couple of living Swallowtail butterflies, bred from larvae taken on
Wicken Fen and fleshly emerged.
At 4 p.m., the Club was received by Miss Gibson, daughter of the late Geo,
Stacey Gibson, author of the Flora of Essex (1864), at her residence. Hill
House, High Street, where they were most hospitably entertained at tea served
on the lawn.
A short formal meeting of the Club (the 283rd), with Mr. Miller Christy,
F.L.S., Vice-President, in the chair, followed :—
New Members.—The following were elected members;—
Mr. W. Whitaker Maitland (of Loughton Hall), Beau Desert, St. Saviour's,
Jersey, Channel Isles.
Mr. Ralph R. Thompson, Albion Brewery House, Mile End Gate,
London, E.
Alderman L. J. Watts, All Saints, Colchester.
Mr. John W. Wiles, 13, Vernon Road, Leytonstone.
On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by the Rev. J. W. Kenworthy, the
thanks of the Club were unanimously voted to Miss Gibson for her kind
hospitality that afternoon. Mr. Midgley responded on Miss Gibson's behalf,