16
THE ESSEX NATURALIST,
mentions those parishes where unenclosed arable land re-
mained.18 These were only in the three "Saxon areas" in the
north-west, north-east and south-west (fig. 4). Most of these
were enclosed during the next few decades; it was "much
desired by persons of intelligence." At a slightly earlier date
(1775) Chapman and Andre's map shows the position of the corn
mills of the County. These are confined principally to the
north and central areas (Boulder clay) and appear again in the
Fig. 4.—Essex Parishes having Unenclosed Arable in 1795.
sandy soil belt. Whilst not infrequent throughout the London
Clay area, they are much fewer in number throughout that
district. The distribution of these corn mills supports the
theory of the regional differentiation of arable and pastoral
farming.
The distribution of the mills offers a further point of interest.
An increase of corn mills throughout the entire County had
occurred since the days of Morant (1768). In view of the
evidence of the nineteenth century, it appears that towards
18 Vancouver, C. General View of the Agriculture of Essex.