Journal of Proceedings. xv
of huge pollarded oaks which tradition assigns as marking the spot
of a favourite walk of this unhappy woman. The oaks stand, in parts,
in two lines, in other places they are single. Looked at cursorily, they
might appear to form an avenue, but it is quite clear that they were not
planted for this purpose. The two lines are too close to each other, and
there are long gaps in them, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the
other ; moreover, if the trees had been intended to form an avenue they
would hardly have been pollarded. Sir Fowell suggested that they had
been planted along a hedge separating the park from the pasture land,
and Professor Boulger thought the trees presented strong evidence in
favour of this view. He estimated that the oaks were certainly nearer
four hundred than three hundred years old, and therefore they would
have been oaks of nearly a century old at the time when the Princess
lived at the Hall. Some of the trees were giants; one of them, on
measurement by Mr. H. A. Cole, proved to be no less than 26 feet in girth.
There are also traditions and stories of "Bluff King Hal's" residence
at the Hall (perhaps he sallied forth from it to play his merry prank
upon the fat abbot, as recorded by Farmer, in his 'History of
Waltham'), and a path near the house is still pointed out as "King
Henry VIII.'s Walk," but whether because he enjoyed himself there
after his fashion, or by reason that a bust of his Grace is on a pillar
hard by, may perhaps be doubted. Probably the legend is of modern
growth; but at any rate it would be a pity to disturb ''these popular
traditions and old tales" which connect the spot with the Tudors, for
the old hall which stood in their time exists no longer. In 1564 Queen
Elizabeth granted Copped Hall to Sir Thomas Henneage, who straight-
way pulled down the old historic pile and built "a noble mansion" in its
place, John Thorpe, who designed Somerset House, Holland House,
Burleigh House, and other princely dwellings of that time, being the
reputed architect. It was quandrangular in form, with a court yard in
the middle; with a gallery fifty-six yards in length, and a noble chapel.
It was pulled down about 1753, and the present mansion built, by one of
the Conyers family who possessed the place until a recent date. The
old house stood (in Waltham parish) somewhat to the west of the present
mansion, which is in Epping; and Sir Fowell Buxton amused the
company by relating the story how old Mr. Conyers, having a quarrel
with the Waltham folk, pulled down his house so as to extinguish the
rates, and re-edified it, on higher ground, a few yards off, but over the
boundary of Epping parish ! In this degenerate age we can but envy the
spirit which prompted such an heroic retaliation, ennobling even a parish
squabble, for now
" Men fight not as they fought
In the brave days of old !"
Among the ivy there stands yet one pillar, and only one, to mark the
site of the chapel, and lying upon the ground is a statue or two and a