226
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
with Roman bricks at the S.E. corner of the S. transept, the trefoil-headed piscina
in the N. transept, and other interesting details. Latton Priory was a small
foundation of Augustine Canons, valued at only £12 yearly, believed to have
been founded during the 12th century, but whose earliest mention is in the
Hedingham Priory bede-roll, compiled in the early part of the 13th century. It
came to an inglorious end about 1530, when the last surviving canon, the then
prior, one John Taillour, voluntarily deserted it. The "State Papers," 1536,
record a grant to Sir Henry Parker of "the site, etc. of the late monastery of
"Augustine Canons, Latton, Essex, and all lands, etc., thereto belonging,"
then in the King's hands. 1 Apl. 27. Hen. VIII.
Leaving this interesting little building, the party rambled by way of Rye Hill,
Epping Long Green and Epping Upland to Bell Common, Epping, a 5-V-mile
route exclusively made up of fieldpaths, green bridle paths and quiet bye-lanes.
It had been intended to visit the church at Epping Upland, but this had to be
abandoned since the proposal clashed with a funeral service in the church.
Tea was taken at the Bell Inn, Bell Common.
Our botanical recorders listed some 97 plants in flower during the walk, none,
however, of special importance.
CROSS-COUNTRY RAMBLE, CHIGWELL TO LAMBOURNE
(836th Meeting).
SATURDAY, 19TH JUNE, 1943.
A yesterday of heavy rain and a dull overcast dawn, with a prospect of yet
more rain, were not the happiest auguries for what later proved to be a glorious
sunny day of midsummer splendour ; so that the seventeen persons who made
up the small party had abundant reward for their daring.
Assembled at Chigwell railway station at about 11.15 o'clock, the visitors,
under the conduct of Mr. Allen E. Gladwyn (ably assisted by Mrs. Gladwyn),
at once started on a cross-country route through upland grasslands, disused
medieval lanes, wheat-fields and flax fields, bridal paths and quiet bye-roads,
which ultimately led to the high road bordering Hainault Forest near Lam-
bourne End : botanical observations were made throughout the ramble.
The route, over undulating country, afforded delightful views westward over
the Roding valley to Buckhurst Hill and Loughton, with the distant spire of
Highbeach Church piercing the skyline. But little evidence of war conditions
marred the peaceful scene, though a huge bomb crater in a field near to Lambourne
Church gave cause for congratulation that no buildings occurred near by.
The church of St. Mary and All Saints at Lambourne was visited, and here
Mr. Gladwyn read a few notes describing the fabric : the interesting brass to
Robert Barfoot (1546), his wife and nineteen children, was examined, as were
the panels of old German painted glass (1630) inserted in one of the Chancel
windows. Search was made for the scratch dial known to occur on the jamb
of the S. doorway (a photograph of this is in the Stratford museum), but only
the hole which once held the central gnomon now remains, the ragstone surface
having flaked away by exposure to the weather.
During the day a very satisfactory total of 140 wild plants in actual flower
was tabulated by our recorders, the Misses Greaves, Prince and Hilbert. Among
these may be mentioned Spergula arvensis, Malva moschata (in bud), Melilotus
officinalis (= M. arvensis, Wallr.), Vicia hirsuta, V. cracca, Agrimonia Eupatoria,
Kentranthus rubor, Senecio squalidus and Tragopogon minus.
A beautiful sight was afforded by a mass of Azolla filiculoides which entirely
covered the surface of a fairly large pond which lay on our route. Individual
specimens of cultivated Flax (Linum usitatissimum) were noted, these being
escapes from crops of this pretty plant, which of late has been so commonly
grown in our fields.
Tea was taken at a tea-garden at Abridge, which hospitably bade visitors
to "Come Right In" : the resultant meal of home-made provender fully justified
the invitation. After the Hon. Sec. had, on behalf of the party, thanked our
conductor and Mrs. Gladwyn for their excellent programme, a bus from Abridge
took the visitors homewards at shortly after 6 o'clock.