284
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
been approved for inclusion in the Schedule of Monuments in pursuance
of section 12 of the Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment
Act of 1913. He observed with satisfaction that the list included Queen
Elizabeth's Lodge, Chingford, and the two Forest camps: other monuments
to b? scheduled, in which the Club was specially interested, were Nether Hall,
Roydon, the Maze at Saffron Walden, and the Bartlow Hills, all of which
would thus be saved from desecration or destruction in the future.
A vote of thanks to the conductors closed an interesting meeting, and
the party made its way back to Chingford station.
VISIT TO SOUTH BENFLEET AND CANVEY ISLAND
(569TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 22ND SEPTEMBER, 1923.
A party of over 40 members foregathered at Benfleet station shortly
before 11 a.m., the principal objects of the field-meeting being to study and
collect the salt-marsh plants of the "saltings" and the insect life of the
brackish ditches of the island. Before leaving the mainland, however, a
visit was first made to the picturesque parish church of St. Mary-the-Virgin
at Benfleet : here the party was welcomed by the vicar, the Rev. W. H.
Holdsworth, who read a detailed account of the ancient fabric and called
attention to its special architectural features. He pointed out that the early
Norman west doorway was originally external, as is shown by its mouldings,
although now it opens into the massive Tower, which was not added until
about A.D. 1390: the same remarks apply to the two Norman windows in
the west wall.
Mr. Holdsworth gave the dates of erection of the various existing portions
of the church as follow :—
Norman West wall, circa 1140.
Early English piers supporting the chancel arch, circa 1240.
South aisle, circa 1320.
Tower, circa 1390.
Clerestory windows in S. aisle, and the magnificent timber Porch, circa
1430.
North aisle, circa 1420.
Chancel arch, chancel roof and windows, circa 1450.
Windows in N. aisle, circa 1480 or later.
The eight sculptured stone corbels in the nave-clerestory, which carried
the original main roof-timbers (but which support no part of the present
roof) are interesting, four of them representing the symbols of the four
Evangelists, the other four being grotesque heads. The rood-stair remains
in the north aisle.
Leaving the church, the party made its way down to the waterside and
was ferried across, in several batches, to Canvey Island. Here it split up into
two sections, one going on to the "saltings" and later visiting Canvey
village, the other proceeding direct to the village and thence on to the sea-
wall at Hole Haven. By 5 o'clock all had left the island and crossed back to
the mainland at low water by the stepping stones.