REPORTS OF MEETINGS
225
Mr. Bartrop then showed some lantern slide photographs taken during
the demolition of two small cottages known as Paulk Hall Cottages at
Great Leighs.
The walls and roof were of particular interest, the walls being built
on a variation of the "wattle and daub" method. The "daub" was
certainly there but the wattle is not true woven basket-work but an
earlier form in which the screens of sticks, probably hazel, were
fixed between the uprights, the sticks being tied to cross-pieces of
wood fixed, in this case, to the main timbers by nails, but in some other
cases, by springing the cross-pieces into grooves in the sides of the
main timbers. The roof was also of interest, as under the thatch was
a thick layer of "daub". In some parts the sticks were thonged on to
the cross-pieces with leather.
He had not, so far, been able to put a date to the cottages. On the
1838 Tithe Map they are referred to as Poke Hall Cottages. There is
no mention of them on the 1777 map of Chapman and Andre. The
method of construction seemed to him to suggest that they are probably
not later than the first half of the 17th century.
Mr. Bernard Ward showed herbarium sheets of several rare plants
collected recently in Essex. An account of these will be found on
page 164.
The Honorary Secretary, on behalf of Mr. P. M. Hammond and Mr.
R. K. H. Jones, gave an acount of an investigation into popular belief
in certain well-known fallacies regarding natural history subjects (see
page 162).
Mr. Masefield showed photographs and plans of a system of ditches
noticed by him on Woodham Walter Common. It was suggested that
it might be the site of a Roman marching camp and Mr. Marshall
promised to make further investigation on the site.
Dr. Nisbet showed preserved specimens of marine animals found
at Skipper's Island. They had been collected on the stony causeway
which, in an area of muddy saltings, constituted a micro-habitat of
great interest.
ORDINARY MEETING (1025th MEETING)
Saturday, November 15th, 1958
Some thirty members attended this meeting held at the Passmore
Edwards Museum. The chair was taken by Dr. E. A. Rudge. The
names of several applicants for membership were read.
Mr. John Alexander then gave an account of the excavations carried
out at Ambersbury Banks during the summer of 1958. Unfortunately the
lantern slides which the lecturer intended to use were not available
but the account was well illustrated by extemporaneous drawings upon
the blackboard.