156 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
At Hadstock the party were received by the rector, the Rev. C, J. Ridley,
who conducted them over the Church of St. Botolph. The early pre-Con-
quest Norman work (circa 1020) of the nave and north transept, with the
fine round-arched doorway and the 14th and 15th Century additions, were
examined under his guidance. The remains of the screen, with its carving
of the fox preaching to the geese, the fine Jacobean oak reading desk and the
ancient door, which, until the middle of last century, bore upon its surface
the skin of some sacrilegious criminal, attracted much interest.
Leaving Hadstock a detour had to be made into Cambridgeshire. Pass-
ing through Linton, the site of the Saxon Cemetery on Bartlow Heath (the
relics from which had been seen previously at Audley End), was passed,
and Bartlow village reached at 10.15. Here a halt was made and the Church
inspected, and by the courtesy of the owner, the Rev. C. H. Brocklebank,
the famous "hills" were visited. These consist of a group of four very
large burial mounds (tumuli), ranged in a line close together. They were
explored about 1830, and very fine bronze bowls and vases, glass bottles
and urns, of Roman make, were found. The great size and importance
of the hills has given rise to the theory that they were burial mounds of local
British Chieftains, who had adopted Roman manners, and that the smaller
mounds, now obliterated, were graves of more recent date after the Roman
Conquest had reduced the importance of the family.
The flora on the mounds retains many forms of the primitive Chalk flora,
which is otherwise nearly obliterated in the locality by the progress of cultiva-
tion. When the Essex Field Club visited the site in 1912, a single plant of
Anemone Pulsatilla (the Dane's Blood flower) was observed. A careful
search failed to reveal any trace of this plant on the present occasion, but
the caretaker assured us that it had been observed during the past two years,
and it is possible that the lateness of the season this year may account for
its absence.
The late Mr. Joseph Clarke, of Saffron Walden, in a letter dated March
15, 1888 (now in the possession of the Club), gives the following interesting
information concerning this plant: "Gibson's 'Flora of Essex' says the
Pasque flower, Anemone Pulsatilla, is abundant on Bartlow-hills, but this
must be taken with some reservation, as many years ago I went with the
banker-botanist, Mr. Edwd. Forster, and only found one plant half way up
the largest hill; but like some others it may be plentiful or otherwise accord-
ing to circumstances of weather, drought, etc." Now, Edward Forster
died in 1849, in his 84th year, so that the above excursion must have been
long before that date, which would indicate that the Pasque-flower has not,
for nearly a century past, been "abundant on the Bartlow Hills," as Gib-
son asserts.
The next stopping place was the Rose and Crown Inn, at Ashdon, to
see the fine 17th century wall painting that was discovered and restored a
few years since. The walls arc divided into panels of arabesque work, painted
in red, black and white, with a frieze of ogee headed panels, and bear four
black letter texts, partly defaced but now restored.
Leaving Ashdon by a cross-country road, Radwinter was reached, and a
halt made at the Church to examine the fine timber porch of 14th century
date, with its timber Parvis Chamber. The beautiful 16th century reredos
of Belgian work was much admired.