224
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
to be able to record the great improvement in displaying the exhibits
permitted by the new Museum over that of its predecessor. On leaving,
Mr. D. J. Scourfield, as the senior Vice-President of the Club present on
the occasion, thanked the Chairman and Mr. Davies for their reception.
A specially-chartered coach then conveyed the party to Writtle, where
at the church the vicar, the Reverend J. H. Upton, M.A., M.M., welcomed
the visitors and favoured us with an interesting detailed account of its
history from its foundation in the 12th century : it is, or was until 1926,
a "peculiar" of New College, Oxford, The charred ruins of the fine old
timbered house, "Aubyns," at the churchyard entrance, which was
gutted by fire some four years since, were viewed with great regret.
Returned by coach to Chelmsford, lunch was taken at the County
Hotel, at which Mr. Wykeham Chancellor, M.A., F.R.I.B.A., Mr. Emmi-
son, the County Archivist, and Mr. J. H. Davies, F.L.A.. Borough
Librarian, were present as guests of the Club. In welcoming the guests,
the Chairman, Mr. Scourfield, referred to the fact that Mr. Wykeham
Chancellor's father, the late Mr. Frederic Chancellor, had been an early
President of our Club (1893-4).
After lunch, the party proceeded to the Cathedral, where Mr. Chancellor
gave us a full description of the fabric and its history, together with many
personal reminiscences in connection with it. An all-too-short inspection
of the sacred building followed, time being strictly limited.
A visit to the new County Hall, completed only last year, was next
made, by courtesy of the Essex County Council : the Council Chamber
(seen at a disadvantage, owing to scaffolding erected in connection with
decorations still in progress), the Committee Rooms, etc., being in turn
inspected. In the basement is stored the enormous and rapidly increasing
mass of court-rolls and other manorial documents, quarter and petty-
sessions records, and other County archives accumulated since the passing
of the Act of 1926, selected specimens of these being exhibited to the
visitors by the recently-appointed County Archivist, Mr. Emmison; some
of the methods adopted to restore decayed manuscripts were explained by
him and were greatly appreciated.
Tea was taken at Cannon's Restaurant.
The concluding item of the day's programme was a visit to the new
Public Library, erected 1933-35, where the party was received by the
Borough Librarian and his Chairman and conducted through the various
departments, a special feature being, of course, the Essex collection of
books in the Reference Library, which is very extensive. The upper floor
of the building is at present used as a Town Hall and here the Council
Chamber and the Committee Rooms were shown to the visitors by the
Chairman.
Before leaving, Mr. Scourfield took the opportunity to express the
thanks of the party to all who had contributed to the enjoyment of the
meeting.
By train or coach, the homeward journey was entered upon at 6.15
o'clock, after a day which was voted by all the party as having been a
great success.