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THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB—REPORTS OF
MEETINGS.
MEETING AT WANSTEAD (641st MEETING).
SATURDAY, 21ST APRIL, 1928.
A party of 45 members foregathered at Wanstead on the above after-
noon with the object of inspecting, by favour of the several owners and
occupiers, some of the older and more interesting early eighteenth-century
houses and the parish church. Mr. Charles Hall Crouch acted as conductor
and proved himself an expert local historian.
Assembled at 2.30 o'clock, the Manor House, now the West Essex
Conservative Club, was first visited, and here the party was received
by Mr. Simmonds, the Club Secretary, and the Steward, who conducted
the visitors over the house itself and through the large garden at the
rear. Access was also obtained to an overgrown tract of land, once part
of the grounds of "Wanstead Grove," where, facing the site of a now
filled-up pond, the so-called "Temple" (summerhouse) was inspected,
and also, elsewhere in the grounds, a small square building, with cellar
under, perched on an artificial mound, which is believed to have been
used as a Card House by the 18th Century occupants of the mansion.
The house called "The Grove" was built by Sir Francis Dashwood
in 1691. It afterwards passed through the hands of the Bridgmans,
Goughs, Wymondesolds and Bowles. It was the Hon. Anne Rushout,
niece of George Bowles, who pulled down the old house and erected the
one which was sold in July, 1889.
The Manor House, with its original shell hood, is said to have been
the home of Sir Wm. Penn, father of the founder of Pennsylvania, but the
house as it exists to-day is mainly early 18th century.
Sheridan House in The Mall, adjoining the Manor House, was next
inspected. This house has been less altered than its neighbour, and most
of the original wall-panelling remains in the various rooms, whence, to
the rear, a fine prospect is still obtained over the Roding valley to the
higher ground of Barkingside.
This house is so-called from having been the residence of Richard
Brinsley Sheridan. Here his only daughter Mary died, an infant, under
tragic circumstances while in the fostering care of Mrs. Canning, the mother
of the celebrated orator and statesman.
A visit was then paid to "The Chilterns," in Grove Road, a modern
house, in the occupation of an original member of our Club, Mr. W. P.
Forbes, J.P., which possesses on its roof the original weather-vane, dated
1691, which formerly decorated "Wanstead Grove," the mansion which
stood, before the estate was developed for building purposes, on the
site of the present residence, known as "Rosetta," opposite "The
Chilterns." 
In his garden Mr. Forbes pointed out a tulip tree (Liriodendron)
which, still living but partially shattered by lightning, is said to have
been one of the largest in the country. Some beautiful varieties of
Japanese Maples were also admired here. From here the party made