158
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
From here a two-mile ramble through the water-meadows by the.
river Chelmer and through cornfields gave opportunity for the naturalists
of the party to pursue their various avocations. Thirty-seven kinds of
birds were seen or heard, including kestrel, heron, kingfisher, magpie,
nuthatch, snipe, moorhen, tufted duck, sedge-warbler, reed bunting, and
turtledove. A numerous troop of long-tailed tits flitting about the
trees by the stream was a very welcome sight. The botanists meanwhile
kept a sharp look-out for wild flowers, of which 108 species were noted,
some of the more interesting being Ranunculus arvensis, Melilotus officinalis,
Spiraea Ulmaria, Conium maculatum, Scandix Pecten-veneris, Sherardia
arvensis, Scabiosa arvensis, Plantago media and Iris Pseudacorus.
Arrived at Thaxted, the tower windmill, which beats the initials and
date "J W 1804," was inspected, but not entered, as its floors are no
longer considered safe, the mill not having been working for the past
twenty years or more. Our conductor gave a brief description of the
mill, which, with the spire of the church, makes a delightful picture.
Entering Thaxted Church, the visitors were met by the vicar, the
Rev. Conrad Noel, who at once began a most interesting description of
the building and its history, after which a detailed tour of the church was
made under the vicar's guidance. The party was privileged to be shown
the silken vestments and the fine set of altar-frontals reserved for special
occasions.
After Mr. Noel had been duly thanked for his kindly services by our
President on behalf of the party, the church was left and a short while was
spent in a ramble through the quaint old town, the Guildhall especially
being an object of pilgrimage.
At 4 o'clock the vehicles were regained and conveyed the party to
Horham Hall, where a genial welcome from Mrs. Humphry and her
daughter and son-in-law, the Reverend Percival and Mrs. Westall,
awaited it. After welcome tea in the Great Hall, an account of the Hall
was read by Mr. Stephen J. Barns as under:—
It has been suggested that the name Horham is really descriptive of
its position or situation, its derivation being from the Saxon "Ora," a
skirt or border, and "ham," a place. Actually the house, and its attached
lands, are on the borders of two parishes, Thaxted and Broxted, and extends
into each, although the larger portion is in Thaxted.
The Lordship of the Manor of Horham Hall when first it emerges into
history was in Alured de Bendeville, who owned prior to 1131, holding
of the Honour of Clare by the service of two knights' fees, and he and his
wife Sibil gave the advowson of the church of Chaureth, or Broxted, to
the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, for the souls of members of the
Clare family, and from him the manor passed to his son-in-law, Durkin
de Lake, or del Acre, who had married his daughter Emma. About 1250
the de Lake connection with the manor terminated and it came into
the hands of the De Wanton family, just precisely how I am unable to
say, but probably by marriage, and with them it continued for, perhaps,
nearly 200 years. Probably about 1450 the manor was acquired by the
Large family, most likely by Sir Robert Large, mercer, and Lord Mayor of
the City of London in 1439. Either he, or his heir Richard, demolished any
house that may have previously occupied the site and built a manor house