228 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
At Willingale Spain, the party were received at the Church by
Rector, the Rev. C. Lennard Payne, who pointed out in a short address
the principal points of interest.
The nave is of Norman date, built of flints in courses, with Roman
tiles to the quoins and round the door-openings ; the chancel is later,
of Perpendicular architecture. The holy table is the original altar-top
of Barnack stone, worked by the Norman builders with the characteristic
abacus-splay, and with the consecration-crosses still visible upon it.
One of the most interesting features of the church is a series of drawings,
incised with thin lines in the stonework of the perpendicular windows
and of the chancel-arch.* These drawings, possible the work of an acolyte
or minor ecclesiastic in pre-Reformation times, are lightly and firmly cut
into the surface of the stone, and betray alike a fair draughtsman and a
familiarity with the objects represented, which latter comprise an arch-
bishop in mitre and chasuble with Y-shaped orphrey and carrying his
crozier (not a crook), repeated drawings of crossbows, a bishop with pastoral
staff, a winged human face (said to typify "life"), a drawing of a skeleton
with darts in either hand (to typify "death"), various undeciphered names
or inscriptions in black letter character and cursive script, and a represen-
tation of the sacred monogram IHS. in tall upright Old English text.
The last mentioned inscription is especially interesting, as it offers proof of
the antiquity of the work. The rector, who discovered all these drawings,
now nearly 20 years ago, stated that they were all hidden either by brick
casing or bv plaster, hence their good preservation. On the chancel arch
jamb had been deeply cut in the plaster, which then covered the stone-
work, some initials and dates of the 18th century : these penetrated through
the plaster into the stone beneath, and may still be seen now the plaster
is gone : and it is noteworthy that one of these dated inscriptions cuts
through IHS. in such a way as to show that the latter existed before the
former.
The original Norman crescent hinges to the north door are now refixed
in their exact relative positions, on the inside of a new oak door to the
modern vestry : new strengthening bars of iron have been added to the
old hinges, but are easily distinguishable therefrom.
Tea was taken at the Bell Inn, Willingale, at about half- past four.
And afterwards a short meeting of the Club was held for formal business.
New Member.—Mr. F. J. Bennett, F.G.S., (late of H.M. Geological
Survey), The Cottage, Hatfield Peverel, was elected a Member,
A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Rev. C. Lennard Payne, for
his kind assistance during the afternoon.
The party was then driven to Norton Heath for further botanising.
The high ground of Norton Heath, at 325 ft. O.D., is formed by one
of the smallest Essex outliers of the Bagshot Pebble Beds, which rise
above the sheet of Chalky Boulder Clay and Glacial Gravels which else-
where mantle the surface of the country for miles around in all directions.
The surface of the small heath has been much disturbed by shallow ex-
cavations for gravel, which have largely worked off the thin capping of
*The description of these incised drawings is furnished by Mr. Percy Thompson,
who took careful rubbings and notes about a dozen years ago. Mr. Thompson is not
aware that these drawings have been described before.