90 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
Rain fell during the day, but failed to damp anyone's spirits, and it was
a very cheerful re-united party which had a picnic tea in the stable buildings
of Ramsden Hall. The countryside was thought to be more than usually
beautiful, the late season having left the trees and grass with their spring
freshness and colour a vivid background for the June flowers. It seemed
a pity that so few members should have shared the pleasures of such a
carefully planned day.
In all, nearly 160 species of wild flowers were noted, amongst which the
following may be mentioned as showing the curious mingling of early—
and late—summer forms: Celandine (Chelidonium majus), Trailing St.
John's Wort (Hypericum humifusum), Meadow Clover (Trifolium medium).
Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana), Wood Loosestrife (Lysimachia
nemorum), Yellow-rattle (Rhinanthus Crista-galli), Yellow Archangel (Lamium
Galeobdolon), Spotted Orchis (Orchis maculata), Bluebell (Scilla nonscripta).
Yellow Oat (Trisetum (Avena) flavescens).
VISIT TO SOUTHEND-ON-SEA DISTRICT (876th Meeting)
SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH, 1947
Leaving Woodford at 10.30 a.m., members journeyed in bright sunshine
by motor-coach to Prittlewell. This, of course, is the village of which the
great Southend was in days gone by, the south end. Here the Priory was
visited, the Assistant Curator, Mr. Ninnes, acting as guide.
Founded in early Norman times, it has been carefully restored, and is
now used as a museum and is open to the public with its surrounding gardens.
A very pleasant place it is, too, and although little of the original Norman
work remains, the Prior's house contains some fine rooms with fifteenth-
century vaulting and amongst its treasures the original royal documents
transferring the Priory, at the Dissolution, to its new secular owners.
After a picnic lunch in the Priory Park the coach was taken to Rochford
where the party was joined by four members of the South Essex Natural
History Society, Mr. H. Tutt. J.P. (Chairman), Capt. Sparrow, Mr. Procktor
and Mr. Laurence Weils, who had kindly offered their services as guides in
the district with which they are so familiar. As soon as the coach was left
near Paglesham the weather decided to do its best to ruin the excursion
and, waterproofs proving totally inadequate against the torrential rain, a
hasty retreat had to be made to the shelter of the Plough and Sail Inn, where
members spent the afternoon in trying to dry their clothes.
Fortunately Capt. Sparrow had provided, against such a contingency, a
grand collection of local flowering plants; amongst the most interesting
were the rare Lotus tetragonolabus, Earth-nut Pea or Fyfield Pea (Lathyrus
tuberosus), Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and several orchids. Tea was
taken at the inn and then the party walked down to the Paglesham sea-wall
and saltings where, under the guidance of Mr. Wells, a number of ditch-
prawns were captured.
In spite of the unfortunate weather the area visited was found to be
full of interest, and it is hoped to visit it again under better conditions.
Botanists, marine biologists and entomologists will surely find it most
profitable.
The help so freely given by the members of the South Essex Natural
History Society was greatly appreciated, and added much to the interest of
the visit.
Nearly 130 wild flowers were recorded during the excursion, of which
the following deserve mention:—Sandspurrey (Spergularia rubra), Dyer's
Greenweed (Genista tinctoria), Restharrow (Ononis arvensis), Field Scabious
(Scabiosa arvensis), Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius), Common Sea Lavender
(Limonium vulgare), Sea Pink (Armeria maritima).