THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
219
A few pot-boilers and a piece of pottery, probably Romano-British
age, were picked up.
Mr. Hazzledine Warren opened a brief discussion by remarking that
although he admitted that Dr. Sturge had undoubtedly found implements
of the "Cave" period in Suffolk surface deposits, yet in this case he failed
to see any direct evidence for dating the Coploe flakes, etc., earlier than
the Neolithic Period, while he thought it possible that many of them might
be even later.
The origin and use of the Lynchetts were also discussed, and
Mr. Miller Christy gave a short account of the meaning of the word.
He remarked that a "linchet," "lynchett," or "lynch" (none
of them words now in common use in Essex), is usually a strip of
grass left as a dividing line between two pieces of ploughed land, or beside
a road, or in some similar position. Used in the plural, the words generally
denote the parallel banks or terraces made on the sides of hills—usually
chalk hills, to allow of ploughing. Golf-links (the banks from or over
which the game of golf is played) are so called in the same connection.
Mr. George Morris spoke of the chalk flora of the lynchets.1 He pointed
out that here was a small remnant of the primitive chalk flora which
probably covered the sides of the valleys forming an open down-land belt
or zone between the marsh of the valley bottom and dense Boulder-
clay woodland. He also compared this flora with that of the Fleam and
Devil's Dyke which had been recently studied by the Marshall-Ward Society
of Cambridge, showing their essential similarity. The speaker also
pointed out that this remnant-flora was in danger of extinction by the
invasion of weeds of cultivation, such as the successive waves of Bromus
sterilis, Tussilago farfara, Sinapis arvensis, having colonized the lower
slopes—flats of the terraces—and were now threatening the remainder.
Mr. Shenstone made some remarks criticising the speakers' conclusions
in relation to a primitive vegetation within historic times.
Although the date was somewhat early for flowers, the following plants
were recognised.—Helianthemum chamaecislus, Viola hirta, Polygala
vulgaris, Silene latifolia, Linum catharticum, Ononis spinosa, Anthyllis
vulneraria, Lotas corniculatus, Hippocrepis comosa, Spiraea filipendula,
Rosa eglanteria, Daucus carota, Asperula cynanchica, Blackstonia perfoliata,
Cnicus arvensis, Centaurea scabiosa, with Orobanche elatior parasitic on
its roots. Thymus serpyllum, Plantago media, &c., &c.
Leaving the Lynchets, the party then drove back to Ickleton Church,
which they inspected under the guidance of the Vicar. The Roman
columns (supposed to have been taken from an earlier Roman building),
with Saxon cushion capitals, Norman fresco work on the window recesses
and the fine medieval oak pews were examined and commented upon.
Hence the brakes were driven to Chesterford Common, where, by the
courtesy of Sir James Mackay, the party were enabled to inspect an
interesting Boulder-Clay waste of some forty years standing. The char-
acteristic open flora and hawthorn scrub was seen on the side of a dry
valley, and among other characteristic plants the "Adder's-tongue Fern"
Ophioglossum vulgatum was obtained. Further on a peculiar scrub of
blackthorn was seen, among which ash and oak trees had taken hold,
1 Gibson in his Flora often refers to these banks near Ickleton, which in his time extended
into Essex, but which since have been in part obliterated by the plough.