THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
173
after a pen-and-ink sketch by the late Miss Isabella Lister, made in 1921
on the occasion of a former visit of our Club.
At 6 o'clock two private omnibuses conveyed the party to Ardleigh sta-
tion where a train was caught back to town, and so an end made to a.
delightful day in "Constable's Country."
VISIT TO TOLLESBURY AND TOLLESHUNT D'ARCY
(793RD MEETING).
SATURDAY, 9TH JULY, 1938.
Nearly fifty members and friends comprised the party which assembled
on the esplanade at Maldon at 10.45 on the morning of the above date,
after a quick drive from London by motor-coach or car so as not to risk
losing the tide. As has so often happened before, the Club was favoured
by good weather, the gale of the previous days, which had threatened the
cancellation of the contemplated water-trip, having abated somewhat,
although the wind was still strong and cold. Embarked on a motor-vessel
with a crew of three, the visitors dropped down with the tide and a following
wind down the Blackwater Estuary for Tollesbury, nine miles distant
seawards, passing Northey and Osea Islands, Stanesgate, Stone and
Steeple to Tollesbury, where a landing was safely effected on the derelict
pier, a quarter-mile in length, appendant to the abandoned branch railway
line.
A search along the seawall and saltings, and the lanes leading to the
village, yielded a fair harvest of wild plants to the botanists of the party,
while the ornithologists found scope in searching out and identifying the
birds seen flying over the estuary or its flanking marshlands.
At Tollesbury itself, lunch was taken in the vicarage garden, by kind
invitation of the Rev. W. Carter, who afterwards led the way to the parish
church, dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin ; where he favoured the visitors
with a description of the building, which dates from the late nth century,
although with many later additions and alterations, the chancel and S.
Porch being of modern 19th cent. character. The visitors were shown
the registers, dating from 1558, the church plate and also the fragment
of the "Great Bible" of 1540, found in an attic of the village inn and
restored to the church.
The quaint lettering around the Font, which reads "Good people all
"I pray take Care that in ye Church you doe not Sware As this man did,"
was noted with interest.
Under the vicar's leadership, the neighbouring "Tollesbury Hall,"'
once a farmhouse, but now divided into cottages, was inspected: the
house is full of oak studding and ceiling-beams and well worth a visit.
Finally the village Cage, adjoining the churchyard and built in the early
years of the 18th century, was visited.
After Mr. Scourfield, as the senior vice-president of the company, had.
thanked Mr. Carter for his guidance, the vehicles were taken to Guisnes
Court ,where, by favour of Mr. W. W. Hortin, the gardens were inspected
and also the linen-fold panelling in the Hall, which is believed to have
come from Bourchiers Hall nearby; the former early 17th century over