308
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
architect to the diocese, who kindly gave a most fascinating and instructive
account of the history of the sacred building to an appreciative audience
seated in the nave.
After a reference to the great Norman barons who chose Essex estates,
such as the De Veres, De Bourchiers, De Warrens, Nevills and Mortimers
among others, and remarking on the many Essex villages which owed their
picturesque names to their former Norman owners, as for instance, Layer
Marney, Layer Breton and Layer-de-la-Haye, to mention only a few,
Mr. Chancellor went on to give a detailed historical and architectural
description of the Cathedral and afterwards conducted a tour of the
building, pointing out its many beauties and points of interest.
Mr. Chancellor remarked that, although no Norman work remained
in situ, fragments of stonework showing Norman tooling had been found
imbedded in work of later date. In 1424 great alterations took place
and the W. Tower doorway, of about this date, showed badges of the
De Vere and De Bourchier families who had contributed to its cost. The
S. arcade of the Chancel dated from c. 1390 and exhibited transitional
work from the Decorated to the Perpendicular styles. The unique
double-arch of the N. arcade of the Chancel was of early 15th century
date. In November, 1641, a town mob broke in and destroyed, in its
Puritanical fervour, the glass and stone tracery of the east window; and
in 1800 a yet greater catastrophe occurred, when, owing to careless
digging close against the main arcade-pillars of the nave, these collapsed
and brought down most of the nave-arches and clerestory and the roof.
The lecturer pointed out that some of the restored pillars of the nave were
executed in Code's terracotta (!) ; the present roof and clerestory of the
nave, down to the capitals of the arcade, are the work of the architect of
the restoration, Johnson, and are characteristic of the taste (!) of the time.
The beautiful modern glass in one of the windows in the S. nave-aisle,
in memory of Mrs. Caroline Holderness, 1905, was greatly admired.
The President warmly thanked Mr. Chancellor for his most fascinating
account, and the party then proceeded to the Municipal Buildings, where
it was welcomed by the Mayor, Alderman J. O. Thompson, O.B.E., who,
with the Mayoress, hospitably entertained the members to tea in the
Mayor's Parlour. After tea His Worship expressed his pleasure at
receiving the party ; the President of the Club thanked him and the
Mayoress for their kindly hospitality, and incidentally referred to the
past connection of the Club with Chelmsford, some 35 years ago, when
the town was for some time the headquarters of the Club, while the late
Mr. Frederic Chancellor, a former holder of the Mayoral office, was its
President. Mr. Scourfield added the thanks of the party also to Mr.
Chancellor, to Mr. and Mrs. Mothersole, and to our other conductors,
Mr. Saunders and Mr. Thorrington. Mr. Mothersole briefly replied, saying
how delighted his wife and he were at welcoming in their home their
fellow-members of the Essex Field Club.
The Rev. Crosthwaite, M.C., chaplain to the Essex Regiment, who
was by chance present, made a few remarks, at the Mayor's suggestion
and issued a cordial invitation to the Club to inspect his chapel at Warley
Barracks when next in that neighbourhood.
Taking leave of the Mayor and Mayoress, the visitors next proceeded