THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
153
After leaving Rickling Hall the exterior of Rickling Church was examined,
and the lichenologists of the party found considerable spoil on the stonework
of the building and on the ancient tombstones. From thence the route
lay over the water parting into the Wicken Valley; on the left a glimpse
was caught of the Moat Farm of gruesome memory, and at Wicken the 
party alighted to inspect a fine exposure of the Mid-glacial Gravels.
Passing through Wicken to Wicken Bonhunt, the ancient Chapel of
St. Elane was seen on the right: and at Newport the party alighted and,
crossing the stream, visited the gravel pits. Here an extremely interesting
section of faulted and contorted Mid-glacial Gravel, overlaid by Boulder
Clay, was seen and photographed. It is difficult to account for such perfect
faulting in loose gravels and loams. At the entrance to the pits the clay
and gravel is curiously contorted and seems to indicate a definite line of
pressure by the ice sheet. It is possible, as a member suggested, that
the faulting may have occurred under this pressure when the gravel was
in a frozen and, therefore, consolidated condition. After leaving this pit
the party returned to Saffron Walden for tea.
Saturday was spent in and about the town. At 9.30 the party left the
Hotel, under the guidance of Mr. Raymond, the chemist to the works, to
inspect the cement manufacture at the Works on the Thaxted Road. Here
the processes of mixing and filtering the Chalk and Boulder Clay, the settling
of the "slurry" in open pans, the air-drying and subsequent burning of the
residue in kilns, and the final grinding and packing of the manufactured
article, were, in turn, ably demonstrated by the conductor.
Leaving the Works, a quick walk was made to the Church, where the
Rev. Montagu Benton gave an interesting account of the architecture and
history of the fabric.
Leaving the Church a walk of three quarters of a mile brought the party
to Engelmann's Carnation Nursery where, under the guidance of the genial
proprietor and his foreman, an hour was spent in inspecting a small portion
of the extensive range of glass houses, and the innumerable varieties of this
favourite flower.
After lunch at the Hotel, a pleasant walk via Abbey Lane and the Park-
brought the party to the Lion Gate of Audley End ; passing through the
gate the visitors came to the front of the mansion, and, by the courtesy of
Lord Braybrooke, enjoyed the privilege of inspecting this historical build-
ing with its treasures of art and science, Lord Braybrooke's agent and the
housekeeper acting as conductors.
The Mansion was begun in 1603 and finished in 1616, by the Earl of Suffolk,
Thomas Howard, the grandson of Sir Thomas Audley, Chancellor to Henry
VIII., to whom was granted the estate of the Abbey of Walden after its
dissolution in 1537. The original building was of immense size, including
two courts, woodyard, great kitchen, etc. The north, south and west of
the great courtyard, with the kitchen, were demolished in 1721, and 30 years
later the East range of the inner courtyard, with the projecting wings, was
also destroyed. The building was extensively restored in the 18th and
19th centuries, and is now of half H shaped plan with the wings extending
towards the east.
Passing through the building the Great Hall, with its screen and many
works of art, its great chimney-piece of 17th century date, and numerous