THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 279
soms 14 feet deep, but the later ones are deeper, No. 5 well being 42 feet, and
No. 6 well 24 feet in depth. Curiously enough, although the water is adver-
tised as "Vange Water," the wells, which are situated along the eastern
edge of Martinhole Wood, are actually in the parish of Fobbing, as are also
other wells sunk by rival exploiters, whose water, however, is of less medicinal
value. An account of the Vange water, its constituents and its mode of
occurrence, by our Conductors, was given in this Journal (ante, pp. 221-227).
A visit was next paid to the Vange Pumping Station of the Southend
Waterworks Co., where the party was welcomed by the Chairman of the
Company, Mr. J. Francis, and by the secretary and manager, Mr. C. S. Bilham,
and his son, the engineer to the company. Samples of rock met with in the
various wells sunk by the Company in south-east Essex, and shells, sharks'
teeth, etc., from the London Clay, were exhibited and diagram-sections of
the deep borings at Vange, Leighbeck, and elsewhere, were shown. An
inspection was also made of the large covered Reservoir, containing some
nine million gallons of water from the deep local boring, and of the engine-
house.
Returning to the Mineral Wells, the company was entertained to tea by
Mr. Cash and his family, following which a formal Meeting of the Club was
held, the President, Dr. A. Smith Woodward, presiding.
Mr. Frank W. Jane, of 163, East Barnet Road, New Barnet, Herts; and
Mr. St. John Marriott, of 37, Owenite Street, Abbey Wood, S.E.2,
were elected Members, and one certificate of nomination for membership was
read.
The President proposed the warm thanks of the party to our Conductors,
and to the Chairman, Manager and Engineer of the Southend Waterworks
Co., and also to Mr. Cash and his family, for their abundant hospitality ;
these were heartily accorded.
The return walk to Pitsea enabled the somewhat tired visitors to catch,
with not a minute to spare, the 6.46 up train to London.
Thousands of Green-winged Orchis (O. morio) covered the fields about the
Wells of Vange, and the Cotton Thistle (Onopordon acanthium) was noticed
growing on the hill by Pitsea church. Adder's-tongue Fern (Ophioglossum
vulgatum) was found at Vange.
Ornithologists of the party reported the discovery of a nest of Great
Crested Grebe containing three eggs, a Magpie's nest and others, while the
song of the Nightingale was insistent in the wood at Vange.
VISIT TO MALDON AND BEELEIGH ABBEY
(566TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 2ND JUNE, 1923.
In response to a kind invitation from Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Thomas, the
owners and occupiers of the restored Beeleigh Abbey, a meeting was arranged
at Maldon, in order to take advantage of this welcome offer to inspect this
architecturally interesting medieval building.
The London party travelled by train leaving Liverpool Street at 11.30
o'clock, and reached Maldon East station, rather belated, shortly after I