196
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
The present church has an individuality quite distinct from
priory traditions. Despite decay and disrepair even the exterior
is pleasing, being dignified and well proportioned. The north
wall of the church is the original 12th century cloister-wall, but
in place of the aisleless nave the present nave, with two aisles,
was set further south by the 14th century builders. A fine
stone effigy of Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford, who died in
1221, has been removed from its neglected position within the
chancel walls of the priory church to be cared for once again in
the present choir.
On the south side there is a beautiful Perpendicular porch,
with sundial above, which faces two of the lime avenues for
which the churchyard is noted. At the gate stand interesting
half-timbered buildings which were almshouses, but now serve
as meeting places for local people, one as the home of the Women's
Institute and the other as Territorial Headquarters and club
room. These houses, in common with many others in the town,
were brick-fronted and "brought up to date" in early Georgian
times. A great many of the bricks used for this work were
actually made from local brickearth dug in a field just across
the Pincey Brook.
A great part of the brickearth outcrop is occupied by the
park of Barrington Hall. The present house, in Jacobean style,
was built by the Lowndes family in the early 'sixties, replacing
a less beautiful erection which was in need of repair. The view
northwards from the main road is attractive, for a broad, slightly
irregular, avenue of very fine trees leads over sheep-cropped turf
to the house lying at the far end. The trees of the park give
useful shade on the Dunmow road, while the footpath along
the Pincey Brook marsh follows the western boundary of the
Barrington Hall grounds. Nearer views of the house are to be
obtained from this path, which continues beside the Brook until
it reaches the road. This road leaves the Dunmow road, and pass-
ing through Collier Street (a name suggestive of the Roman occu-
pation and of the charcoal industry) goes on to Hatfield Forest
and North Essex. It crosses the Pincey Brook in a ford beside
which is a wooden footbridge which has given its name to
Bridgefoot Farm.
Having traced the outcrop of brickearth by following road
and path, and seen evidences of the former extent of forest