THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
277
The Chairman proposed the hearty thanks of the party to our hostess for
her kindly hospitality, and these were accorded with acclamation. Miss
Willmott expressed her thanks, and, at her suggestion, some further time was
spent in inspection of the garden.
The party later returned to Brentwood, where the 7.41 o'clock train to
London was caught.
INSPECTION OF THE OLD COURT HOUSE AT BARKING
AND MEETING OF PROTEST (564TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 5TH MAY, 1923.
Information having been received that the Barking Council had given
instructions that the old Court House should be pulled down forthwith, a
Special Meeting of the Club was called, at a few days' notice, for the purpose of
inspecting the building and of voicing a protest against that Council's action :
some 24 Members answered the summons.
The Meeting, at which representatives of various other Societies interested
in the preservation of ancient buildings were present by invitation, was held
at 3.15 o'clock in one of the upper rooms of the Court House, the President,
Dr. A. Smith Woodward, F.R.S., etc., presiding.
The Hon. Secretary explained the object of the Meeting and read letters
he had received from the Barking Council, and from various leading archaeo-
logical and antiquarian societies and others, on the subject of the proposed
demolition. He gave a brief sketch of the history of the building, which was
erected in 1567 to serve as a Court House for the Manor of Barking, then held
by the Crown.
Our Member, Mr. C. Dawson, who is Surveyor to the Council, exhibited a
measured drawing of the building, made by his son, showing it in its original
condition, the restoration being based chiefly on evidence which came to light
in about 1893 during partial stripping of the lath and plaster casing. Mr.
Dawson gave it as his definite opinion that the structure was quite capable
of being repaired.
Mr. J. Frederick Green, representing the Society for the Protection of
Ancient Buildings, and Mr. Colin Reader, representing the British Archaeo-
logical Association, spoke of the attempts already made to raise a Fund for
repair or restoration of the Court House, and urged that a further attempt
should be made to secure public support.
After Mr. Brand and others had spoken, a Resolution was proposed by Mr.
Colin Reader and seconded by Mr. Green in the following terms :—
" That this Meeting of the Essex Field Club, together with represen-
tatives of the Essex Archaeological Society, the Society for the Protection
of Ancient Buildings, the British Archaeological Association, and the
Gilbert White Fellowship, records its protest against the proposal of
the Barking Urban District Council to demolish the old Court House,
and respectfully urges the Council to reconsider its decision for im-
mediate demolition, and asks it to grant a delay of six months in the
expectation of further funds becoming available for repair."
The Resolution, on being put to the meeting, was carried unanimously.