REPORTS OF MEETINGS
89
barns—the Barley Barn built about 1480 and the Wheat Barn about 1530—
are still in good preservation. The residence was built about 1600 and the
granary bears the date 1623. The barns are considered to be the finest
timber-constructed farm buildings in the country; the supporting posts
are complete trunks of oak trees squared with the adze.
Mr. Bayliss, the farm manager, had arranged a display of Romano-
British pottery fragments, found by him in excavations on the farm, many
of which he had carefully pieced together so as sufficiently to determine the
forms of the original vessels. Other relics—not all from this farm—included
some bronze rumbler-bells and Roman coins.
Cressing Temple's ancient tradition for hospitality is most stoutly upheld
by Mr. Cullen. Members were given absolute freedom to explore the
house, the farm buildings and the garden, and found everything so worthy
of close attention that leaves were not taken until seven o'clock. The
homeward route lay through White Notley and Hatfield Peverel and Wood-
ford was reached soon after eight o'clock.
During the day over seventy species of wild flowers were noted and
thirty-one species of birds were seen, including the white-breasted Barn Owl
(Tyto a. alba Scop.).
RAMBLE IN THE BILLERICAY DISTRICT (865th Meeting)
SATURDAY, JUNE 14TH, 1947
The eight members who braved the adverse weather forecast and met
at Billericay Station were rewarded by a very interesting walk. Our veteran
botanist member, Mr. W. Howard, was particularly welcome, and full
advantage was taken of his expert knowledge of the plants encountered.
Within a small area very varied country had been prospected by the
Excursions Secretary, and its meadow and corn-land, heath and woods
were well explored. The route followed led by the parish church and
across the fields to the road near Harrods Farm, thence through the
Ramsden Hall woodlands past the Hall and back to Billericay Station
through Norsey Wood.
The botanists made no very remarkable finds, but one list alone included
over a hundred species of flowering plants and grasses. In part of the
woods wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca) were fruiting in great profusion.
The fruit attained a much greater size than had hitherto been observed by
those present, and several tall flower-stems were gathered on which the
largest fruits were found to measure five-eighths inch in diameter.
It was noticeable that an unusual number of spring flowers was still to
be found in bloom. Grasses were particularly fine, and several members
were introduced for the first time to Marsh Foxtail (Alopecurus geniculatus)
and Common Quaking Grass (Briza media) which had been found by Miss
Hilbert on her preliminary visit. The hedges were full of a wealth of Dog-
wood (Cornus sanguinea), Honeysuckle (Lonicera Periclymenum) and wild
roses (Rosa canina and R. arvensis). Perhaps the least common of the
flowering plants listed was Dyer's Greenweed (Genista tinctoria), found both
by the main party and by the small group which strayed from the intended
route.
There were several opportunities for bird watching; the height of the
song season was over, but the calls of both male and female cuckoos were
heard and many birds were seen to be hard at work feeding their young.
Young Whitethroats were seen on the wing and, from a hollow birch, pierced
in four places by woodpeckers, came an incessant clamour for food. After
a prolonged wait, during which the parent great spotted woodpecker was
seen flying about the neighbouring trees, the party was rewarded by seeing
the young birds fed.