80
THE ESSEX NATURALIST
now adorn the building. Members who explored the churchyard found that
this church also housed a nest of bees, in this case below the eaves of the
north wall. Across the churchyard the party also saw the church-house (also
called the Guildhall) before returning to the vehicles and proceeding to
Saffron Walden.
Here, under the guidance of the Curator, Mrs. Monteith, the Museum was
inspected and the opportunity was taken to see some of the plants in the
herbarium of the Rev. W. L. P. Garnons which is housed here. The party
then went to tea which was followed by a general discussion of the finds of
the day. Finally, the beautiful and cathedral-like church of St. Mary the
Virgin was visited and a detailed account of the church and its history was
given before the party rejoined the coach at seven o'clock for the homeward
journey.
FAMOUS ESSEX NATURALISTS
(One Thousandth Meeting of the Club)
SATURDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER, 1956
Although the weather during the preceding weeks had been far from
promising the day fixed for the celebration of the 1,000th meeting of the
Club dawned with the expectation of proving a real 'summer' day, and the
visitors and Club members who were present on this occasion were not
disappointed.
Assembling at Wanstead at 9.30 a.m., the guests were speedily made
to feel at home by the members present and when all were settled into the
coaches we proceeded by way of Wanstead High Street and past the Eagle
Pond to the Epping New Road. A short distance along this road the coaches
drew up at Mill Plain near the Napier Arms and the party alighted. The
leader gave some short particulars about. Edward Forster junior, who lived
for many years at Mill Cottage. The site of Mill Cottage is now covered
by the Edwardian villas of Gascoigne Gardens. Thanks to our member Mr.
C. Hall Crouch who frequently visited Mill Cottage when it was occupied
by a relative of his, we were able to see a reproduction of an old drawing
of the house and also the Auctioneers' inventory drawn up when the premises
were offered for sale shortly before their demolition in 1908.
Regaining the coaches another short journey brought us to Harts Hospital,
Woodford Green. By courtesy of the Secretary and the Forest Group
Hospitals Committee, we were able to visit the grounds of this spacious
garden which in the middle of the 18th century had been the home of the
celebrated naturalist-gardener, Richard Warner. Through the kindness of the
Secretary a considerable amount of clearing of the lower end of the garden
had been carried out. to enable the party to see the memorial erected by
Warner to the memory of his mother, Mrs. John Warner. Whilst there
was no evidence to suggest that such should be the case it was felt that the
magnificent group of Cedar of Lebanon near the front of the present Hospital
buildings were possibly a relic of the days of Richard Warner who was
responsible for introducing many interesting and useful plants to horticulture
in this country.
Amongst these may be mentioned the Gardenia which first blossomed in
England in this garden. Richard Warner was also the compiler of the well-
known local flora entitled Plantae Woodfordienses. At Harts additional
members of the party joined the coaches whence the route lay by Woodford
Parish Church where Richard Warner was buried and so by Ilford and
Romford to Becontree Heath and thence through Hornchurch. Here the