THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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by road and field-path, to Corbets Tye, where, at "Freshfields," it
was welcomed by Mrs. Woods and her brothers, the Messrs. Burrough,
who had kindly provided a very welcome tea on the lawn. After tea
some time was spent in rambling about the well kept and extensive
garden, and inspecting the pigs and other farmyard animals kept by
our hosts.
A formal meeting of the Club was held in the garden, with the President,
(figuratively) in the chair, when Mrs. Katharine Lewis, of "Hillthorpe,"
High Road, Loughton, was elected a member of the club.
The President expressed the thanks of the visitors to our hostess and
her brothers for their kindly hospitality, and the party took its leave.
The last residence visited was Hoppey Hall at Upminster, where the
tenants, Mr. and Mrs. George Eve, who were only just returned from a
holiday absence, received the visitors and conducted them over the
entire house and garden. The attic-floor exhibits some exposed oak
beams and one attic has a good three-centred arched fireplace which was
much admired : the Brew House, with its huge vat, a relic of days when
every country house brewed its own beer, excited curious interest. The
best view of the house, which dates from 1570, is that of the rear front with
its several picturesque gables, and a grand old Cedar of Lebanon in the
garden is a special feature of interest.
Taking leave of Mr. and Mrs. Eve, with thankful acknowledgment of
their kindly courtesy in permitting their residence to be inspected, the
party made its way into Upminster, whence the homeward journey was
made by train or omnibus, to the various destinations.
During the day some sixty species of plants were noted, but none of
them was of unusual occurrence.
FIELD MEETING IN THE PAGLESHAM DISTRICT
(660TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 21ST SEPTEMBER, 1929.
A most successful field meeting in the above neighbourhood was
arranged and conducted by Mr. Laurence S. Harley, B.Sc, A.M.I.E.E., on
the date mentioned. The objects of the meeting were to study the plant
and animal life of the River Roach Saltings and incidentally to inspect
one or two village churches en route.
A party of between thirty and forty members foregathered at Rochford
railway station at shortly before 11.30 o'clock and proceeded through
the quaint little town on to the Paglesham road. Before quitting the town
Mr. Stephen Barns, who was of the party, called attention to a wooden
post in a roadside garden ("Kings Hill"), which, he said, is the present
day representative of one, originally at Rayleigh, marking the spot where
the Kings Court of the manor of Kings Hill, variously known as the
"Lawless Court," the "Whispering Court," and the "Cockcrowing Court,"
was formerly (and until comparatively recently) held. The manor of
Kings Hill is in Rayleigh and the court was originally held there, but
was transferred to Rochford by the 2nd Earl of Warwick "because he
would have it so." It was of ancient observance and held yearly on
the Wednesday next after the feast of St. Michael the Archangel ; tradition
ascribes the origin of this Court to a conspiracy against the Lord of the