Journal of Proceedings.
xxiii
been ascertained with respect to the position and construction of the
Hangman's Wood Deneholes, and made a strong appeal to those
interested in the subject to supply the Club with the funds needed for
their thorough exploration.
The President said he hoped they would think from what they had
seen that a considerable amount of interest attached to these deneholes.
They never had been subjected to a systematic examination in this
county. Others had been examined in other counties by Mr. Spurrell
with very satisfactory results, so far as the excavations went, but they
had in Hangman's Wood a remarkable assemblage—remarkable on
account of their number, on account of their close proximity, and on
account of their individual character and position. They had a very
high position, one of the highest points thereabouts, and they were
interesting from the considerable depth of the shaft and from their
shape. At present there was no accepted theory as to the date of the
deneholes, or the purpose for which they were intended. These were
the two main subjects that they proposed to attempt to unravel by their
excavations. In appealing to them to help the Field Club he wished
them to understand that they did not intend to limit their researches to
the pits in Hangman's Wood. There were others in other parts of the
county which might on examination prove to be of greater importance,
but they intended to commence operations in Hangman's Wood, because
they knew most about these pits so far. If the supply of funds was
liberal they might be enabled to work elsewhere, and so obtain additional
results. They would not waste money where they found it led to no
result. The Field Club had voted about £20 for the purpose—about
£10 the surplus of the Loughton Camp Exploration Fund and £10 from
the general fund ; a few members had sent in subscriptions, and the fund
at present amounted to £50. They might begin with this sum, but they
wanted about £200 to do any good systematic work completely. They
had not yet had many replies to the appeal to the Geologists' Associa-
tion, and they had not received many subscriptions from individual
members of their own Society. No one could hesitate in coming to a
conclusion that this investigation was one of very considerable interest,
and he thought they might say that it was an interest which belonged
quite to the province of the Field Club. They did not know how ancient
these works might be. They might come within the province of
prehistoric archeology, and the subject was closely related to that of
geology. [Applause.]
Dr. Hicks, on behalf of the Geologists' Association, thanked Professor
Boulger, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Walker, Mr. W. Cole, and the members of the
Club for the very pleasant day they had given to the members of his
Association. It was absolutely necessary that they should know as much
as they could of these excavations, which were at present so great a
mystery. He concluded by expressing a hope that the members of the
Geologists' Association would liberally assist the Essex Field Club with
funds to enable it to carry out this investigation.