148
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
was taken in a clearing in Long Wood, a delightful oak-hornbeam coppice,
where the ground was studded with the lovely little flowers of the Ger-
mander speedwell: other plants noted here were tway-blade, ragged-
robin, yellow archangel, myriads of wild strawberry, and primroses now
past flowering. An interesting example of unconscious protective re-
semblance was afforded by a Common Blue butterfly at rest among
the flowers of germander speedwell, which in coloration it exactly resembled.
In all, some 90 species of wild-flowers were noted during the walk.
Thirty-eight kinds of birds were seen or heard by the ornithological
members of the party, but no outstanding rarities were observed. A quite
good ochreous palaeolithic worked flake was picked up on the surface
of the ground by the side of a dugout pond, from the subsoil of which
it had presumably been derived.
The garden approach to Layer Marney Hall from the fields is impressive
—a long succession of terraced slopes and flights of steps leading the eye.
up to the majestic gatehouse which crowns the vista.
The visitors were greeted on arrival by our host and hostess, Dr. and
Mrs. Campbell, the former of whom at once began a tour of the premises,
recounting to his interested audience the history of the Marney family
who built this magnificent abode. Mr. S. J. Barns, who was of the party,
kindly contributes the following account of the Marneys:—
LAYER MARNEY TOWERS.
Layer was originally one, but suffered a tripartite division in the
Middle Ages, taking for each part the name of its lord and owner :—
Marney, Breton and De La Haye. It is said that the Marneys were
in possession of the portion which bears their name as early as the reign
of Henry II., probably about 1166, although Dugdale, in his Baronage,
says that "the first mention I find of the family is in 2 Edward III., 1328."
Certainly they were there in the reign of Henry III., when William de
Marny was fined 20 marks for marrying, without permission, one of the
King's wards; and, in the same reign, had leave to impark his wood in
"Lire" within the precincts of the Forest of Essex. This concession
he interpreted too liberally, for, two years after, strong complaint was
registered against him that he had appropriated two acres of the King's
highway ''in the vill of Layer Marney to the detriment and damage of
"the King and his lieges." Very little seems to have been known about
these earlier Marneys, although they appear to have been busy in con-
solidating their estate by despoiling their neighbours and others, for
we have the record, under date June 10th, 1318, 11th of Edward II., of the
appointment of a Commission of Oyer and Terminer, on complaint by
Oliver de Ingham, that William de Marny and Thomas his brother, and
others, took and carried away his goods at "Leyre Marney co. Essex" and
assaulted Robert de Wyrkesop, his servant; and twenty-five years later,
on April 8, 1353, 27 Edward III., another commission was appointed,
on complaint by John Fabel, son and heir of Thomas Fabel," that whereas
"the keeping of him during his nonage pertains to the King because
"his father held his land of the King by Knight Service,Robert Marny,
"Chivaler, and others, took him by force in his nonage, at Witham, and