A NEOLITHIC FLOOR.
249
full-wheat loaf, which has so unhappily largely gone out of our national
menage, was practically tested by the company, with the aid of some
finely baked loaves and fresh-butter. The bread show was continued
during the ensuing week, and it is hoped proved to be of educational
value in a subject which almost up to the time of the exhibition had been
most disastrously neglected.
A NEOLITHIC FLOOR IN THE BED OF THE
CROUCH RIVER, AND OTHER DISCOVERIES
NEAR RAYLEIGH, ESSEX.
By FRANCIS W. READER.
Being the Report on an Investigation undertaken by the
Morant Club.
With Five Plates and Ten other Illustrations.
[Read 17th December, 1910.]
THE discoveries which I am privileged to bring before your
notice are of considerable interest as bearing on the
existence of pre-historic man in Essex, and on some of the later
physical changes that have taken place in the surface which he
occupied.
These discoveries are due to the observation and energy of
Mr. H. Rand, who, residing in the district where they occur,
has had the sagacity to avail himself of the opportunities which
lay in his path.
Mr. Rand lives near Rayleigh, and cultivates some land on
the gravei-capped eminence known as Hamborough Hill (pro-
nounced locally "Hambro' Hill") where various objects have,
from time to time, been found, and show that this site has
been favourable for occupation and that various races of men
have successively availed themselves of its advantageous
position.
A more important and definite discovery is an ancient
Neolithic "floor" buried in the mud which forms the bank of
the River Crouch at Hullbridge. Mr. Rand's keen sporting
instincts have led him to frequent the river, and during his
fowling and fishing expeditions he has noticed the occurrence
of a band of peat containing quantities of wood, bones, pottery,
flint implements, burnt flints, etc. He has taken every