316
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Manor in his absence. Returning home in the darkness of the night
he stumbled into a meeting of the conspirators and overheard their plans.
As a punishment he ordered that all the manorial tenants should annually
meet on the same spot (at Rayleigh) at the same past-midnight hour and
do homage for their lands. The meeting place at Rochford is marked
by what is known as the whispering post, which is first mentioned in the
Rolls in 1772. The proceedings were conducted by the steward in a
whisper, presumably in imitation of the conspirators ; he called the
names of each of the tenants, who answered, and should there be no fines
or penalties to impose, the tenants were dismissed with an injunction'
to appear a year hence. The minutes of the court were said to have been
written with a piece of charcoal. The Court was a very small one, there
being only fourteen tenants, and it was probably a jocular tenure, such
as the Dunmow Flitch, which only emerged from obscurity on that account.
The present post is said to have been erected in 1867, in exact resemblance
of an earlier one, the spiked top being supposed to resemble the flame
of a candle.
Continuing along the pleasant country road. Great Stambridge Church
was reached. Dedicated to St. Mary and All Saints, this church is of
considerable interest, exhibiting as it does some pre-Conquest remains
in the nave and chancel north walls. High up in the north wall of the
chancel, externally, were seen the few radially-arranged stones which
mark the arch of a former narrow pre-Conquest window, now blocked
by masonry, and in the north wall of the nave could just be traced
(although much obscured by ivy) the remains of one external splay of a
Saxon window, also long since blocked up. The ragstone walls contain
numerous masses of ferruginous conglomerate, no doubt derived from
a not-distant gravel deposit, as with other of our Essex churches. The
font, of late 15th century date, is an excellent example of its kind, having
an octagonal bowl with concave sides, each side (with one blank
exception) carved with a quatrefoiled circle, enclosing various shields and
other devices.
The village of Great Stambridge, which lies nearly a mile farther north
than its church, was next visited, after which a field-path was entered
upon leading to the moated Hampton Barns farmstead. Here the
saltings bordering a creek of the River Roach were reached, and in the
shelter of the river-wall a halt was made for lunch.
Some botanical collecting was carried out on the saltings, but the
rapidly rising tide did not permit of an extended investigation. The
usual salt-marsh flora was noted, including Bupleurum tenuissimum,
Aster Tripolium (rayless form), Statice Limonium, Obione portulacoides,
Salicornia herbacea, Sueda maritima, and Triglochin maritimum. In
various localities during the walk, a total of 86 flowering plants was
noted.
Proceeding past Barton Hall farmstead, which presented a most
picturesque aspect with its background of saltings and river, the path
led past a mere—a former creek of the Roach now cut off from the river
and rapidly drying up—where gulls and wading birds are wont to congregate,
and across fields to Paglesham. The village, dominated by its fine church
with its noble stone tower, offered a charming prospect as we approached
it through the fields.