234
THE ESSEX NATURALIST
National Nature Week in May gave the Mammal Group a
chance to contribute, and exhibitions at Chelmsford, Stratford
and Chingford displayed distribution maps of the Badger, Yellow-
necked Field Mouse and Hedgehog in Essex. The maps were
accompanied by photographs of these mammals.
Two committee meetings were held during the year to arrange
Group Meetings and it was noted that the Deer and Badger
Surveys were still progressing steadily.
Book Review
Hornchurch Parish Church. By Anne V. Worsley, 36 pages. 1964.
Obtainable from the Revd. R. C. C. Watson, The Chaplaincy, Horn-
church, Essex. 2s. 6d., by post 3s.
The parish church of Hornchurch has a most unusual and interesting
history. In 1158 Henry II gave the land upon which the church stands
to the Monastery of St. Nicholas and St. Bernard at Montjoux in Savoy,
and for nearly two and a half centuries the French brethren exercised
their ministry in this quiet corner of Essex. During this time, the daughter
priory of the famous Alpine monastery acquired a considerable amount
of property and wealth. In 1390, the Papal Schism provided a convenient
pretext for the appropriation of the property of the 'schismatic aliens' by
the King. In 1391, the priory was bought by William of Wykeham, Bishop
of Winchester, to endow his foundation of New College, Oxford. The
connection of the church with New College thus initiated has lasted to
the present day.
The church was, in medieval times, the parish church of Havering, a
wide area which included Havering-atte-Bower, Romford, Noak Hill,
Harold Wood, South Hornchurch, and of course Hornchurch itself. It is
noteworthy that the old church again finds itself the ecclesiastical centre
of Havering, now a Greater London Borough.
In addition to a scholarly recounting of the history of the church, this
book includes a readable description of the fabric and monuments. A
chapter is devoted to the problem of the origin of the name Hornchurch,
in which some of the colourful and equally improbable speculations that
have arisen are reviewed. A particularly useful feature of this book is
the glossary of terms, which explains clearly many of the words current
in history, architecture, and church administration that mystify the un-
initiated. There is also a valuable bibliography.
The photographs which illustrate the work are admirable. The illus-
tration showing the south side of the sanctuary is especially beautiful.
The design and typography of the book are uniformly excellent, and it
is a source of wonder to this reviewer that such a publication can be
offered for sale at such a reasonable figure, in view of present costs.