272 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
The walk continued in the usual leisurely manner down the well-wooded
Blind Lane, and along its length Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Wood-Warbler,
Magpie and many other birds were heard and watched. The road being
reached, a turn to the right and a short walk up the hill brought the party
to the welcome shelter of the Owl Tea Booms about 4 p.m. As there
was still time before tea and the rain had eased a little, a number of
members again sallied forth and were rewarded hy an opportunity to study
closely a Tree-Sparrow feeding on an arable field.
It was a testimonial to the hardihood of the members that at the end
of such a wet walk thirty-seven sat down to tea, albeit the members who
had braved the elements all day were reinforced by some who had arrived
at the tea rendezvous by car.
After tea, accounts of the day's observations were given by Mrs.
Boardman, Messrs. Jones, Pratt and Boss. The total number of bird
species seen during the day was over thirty, and the rain-soaked pages of
one's notebook serve as a reminder that even on such a day many interesting
birds may be seen.
A few hardy members then set off to walk back to Chingford through
the Forest and the remainder were glad to accept spare seats in the cars
which were homeward bound.
Visit to Ingatestone Hall, The Valley of the Wid and Margaretting
Church (973rd Meeting)
SATURDAY, 29 MAY, 1954
About a score of members forgathered in the Market Place, Ingatestone,
at 10.30 a.m. and were divided into two groups. While one group went
to Ingatestone Hall, the other walked to St. Margaret's Church, Margaret-
ting.
This church contains much of interest, including a fine 14th-century
north porch, the Tanfield monument, the 14th-century carved timber screen
and the magnificent Jesse window. This window, now in the east wall,
has been described as the most perfect specimen of 15th-century work to
be found anywhere in Essex. The slab laid in the floor of the south aisle
was examined—it has a Norman-French inscription in Lombardic characters
and has been dated late 13th or early 14th century. Another slab in the
floor of the west tower is to Peter and Julian Whetcombe who, after 42
years of married life, died in 1666, and records: —
She 0)1 this clayen pillow layd her head
As brides do use the first to go to bed:
He missed her soone; and yet ten months he trys
To lite apart, and lykes it not, and dyes.
Some members climbed the ladder set amidst the massive baulks of
timber of the 15th-century belfry and inspected the four pre-Reformation
bells which, until the 1931 restoration, had never been taken down. The
third bell, made by Robert Burford (1392-1418) is possibly the oldest in
the county.
The members then took the footpath to Ingatestone, skirting Book Wood
and Spring Wood. At the old, narrow, brick bridge which takes the
Ingatestone-Stock road over the River Wid, picnic lunch was taken before
the walk was continued via Buttsbury Church, and the other group of
members, en route for Margaretting, was encountered. An unscheduled visit
to the little church on the hill proved very rewarding, particular interest
being shown in the north door and its hinges.