36
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
during, the progress of the restoration and his drawings of the latter
work, and explained the difficulties met with owing to the sinking of the
foundation and the non-perpendicularity of the walls. To overcome the
former, the picturesque brick S. porch has been entirely underpinned and
so saved; and reinforced concrete beams have been added to the walls
of the nave, and to the Tower, to tie in the leaning masonry. The piers
to the 13th century S. arcade of the nave, which collapsed in February,
1904, and the stones of which have been found too decayed to re-use,
have been entirely rebuilt in Doulting stone, to a distinct detail from the
old work, only the eastern respond remaining to tell what the original was
like. A finely carved stone cross, evidently once a gable-finial, discovered
during the work, will be re-erected in a position where it can be seen in
the restored church, so, too, will be a small boss which has been found.
The timbers of the chancel roof (the only portion of roof which remains)
are being strengthened and treated to eradicate the boring beetle which
is attacking them.
The pleasing Early English south doorway has been rebuilt with the
old stonework and preserves its original appearance.
The three bells, dated 1626, 1657 and 1835 respectively, which have
just been returned to the Tower after having been for many years in the
new church on Chingford Green, were rung for the edification of the
visitors and proved to be of quite good resonance. A stoup exists just
inside the N. door and a hagioscope to the south of the Chancel arch.
At the conclusion of Mr. Winmill's demonstration, the President
thanked him in the name of the party for his kindly services.
Mr. S. J. Barns then gave an interesting account of the history of the
fabric from its earliest mention in the records, as follows:—
There were, and are, two manors in Chingford, namely, Chingford
St. Pauls and Chingford Earls, the former of which was confirmed to the
Dean and Chapter by charter of Edward the Confessor. The earliest
reference we have to a church here is in 1181 when a survey was made of
the churches and manors belonging to the Dean and Chapter of St. Pauls
and this interesting return states that the church is not built on St. Paul's
demesne and receives nothing from the Canons' demesne, but receives
from the whole township the tenth sheaf only; and the men of the town-
ship have never paid and do not now pay small tithes.
The next mention of a church here occurs in a claim and final concord
of 4 Henry III., 1219-1220, when the Abbot of Waltham claimed and
exacted from the Dean and Chapter of St. Pauls, London, and their tenants
and men at Chingford, certain suits and customs and view of frank pledge
to be done yearly at the Parish Church on Friday within Pentecost, without
summons. The case was heard before Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, and
as a result the defendants, the Dean and Chapter of St. Pauls, acknowledged
the Abbot's claim.
It is probable that a church existed here at a very much earlier date than
either of the evidences recited, and as the Parish of Chingford was included
in the Great Forest of Waltham it is not unlikely that the earliest structure
may have been of timber only, the material readiest to hand and pro-
curable in great abundance. Further suggestion of an early church is
made by the font, now removed to the new church on the Green, and