54 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
Nayland, as at first assumed, but at Bures, a few miles upstream, where
rising ground on both banks confines the river valley in a narrow alluvial
strip. A ford existed here at one time. The evidence for the Bures crossing
is given in a series of boulders, as follows:—
975375 Whitestreet Green.
968387 Peyton Hall, wall, (unconfirmed).
968379 Parish boundary corner (removed about 1940).
918345 St. Stephens Chapel, Bures, (by hedge).
This line runs in a south-westerly direction, over a bare, stony expanse to
Leavenheath, then skirts the wild and inaccessible Arger Fen, and finally
leads into Bures by the Assington road. For much of its course the track is
followed by footpaths and cart tracks:
Across the Stour the direction turns south, over Mount Bures to White
Colne, and boulders have been reported at Crepping Hall (908285). This route
brings the track within a mile of the Colne Valley 'workshop floor', found
on the gravels of White Colne some years ago. A mile to the south-east is
Fordstreet, and the Colne crossing reported previously.
In Essex, the discovery of the 'pagan' stone at Broomfield Church led to a
re-examination of this section of the track, and to the finding of the boulder at
Belsteads, Little Waltham (724113). Some uncertainty is still felt regarding
the exact location of this section, but the stones at Stevens Farm, Chignall
(668100), and Boyton Hall, (656097), lying on either side of the Chignall
'encampment', point the direction for future investigation.
Other boulders which have turned up along the established Essex section are
at Bushes (526079), Pinchtimber Farm pond, Epping Upland (451048), and
Parvill's Farm (425039).
Important discoveries in Hertfordshire from the Lea to beyond St. Albans
establish this as one of the best-defined sections of the track. I am informed
that a right-of-way leading through Cheshunt follows the line, and this is
being investigated. Again, in Chitterbuck's History of Hertfordshire, a map
by Leman (1814) shows the section from Cheshunt to St. Albans as a broken
line, assumed to be a Roman road connecting Verulam to Durolitum. Another
boulder has been located on this line—near New Park Farm (291054).
The exceptionally complete series of boulders lying across St. Albans, and
described in 'Further Observations' (E.N. Vol. 29, Pt. 4), inspired a further
search to the west of the city, and the following convincing series was found:—
135074 Verulam, Roman Theatre stone.
125058 Windridge Farm—in wall of barn.
116052 Potterscrouch crossroads, two boulders.
094050 Bedmondhill, Pimlico—by Swan Inn.
087044 Hyde Farm—beside footpath leading to Swan Inn.
075040 Hyde Lane roadside, near Nashmills.
The most spectacular discoveries of this period were made on the eastern
slopes of the Chilterns, near Nettlebed. At Stonor House (744892) a large
puddingstone is built into the wall of the Saxon chapel, and a few yards away
lies a stone circle of alternate puddingstone and sarsen boulders. There is a
persistent legend in the district that 'when the Romans camped at Stonor'
a line of stones was set up to lead them to the River Thames at Mapledurham.
Many of these boulders still stand :—