Journal of Proceedings. xci
Nevilles, Barons Braybrooke, the present possessors, and concluded :—
In all probability the ruins of the castle have been handed down to
us much as they were left by the enemies of the second Geoffrey de
Mandeville, excepting what time and vandalism have done to demolish
them. It has been for many ages past up to the end of the last century
a quarry for material for the repairs of the roads, &c, in this neigh-
bourhood.
The grand perpendicular church of St. Mary was visited by some of
the party under the guidance of the Vicar, the Rev. Thomas Stephens,
who has published a useful little " Handbook to the Parish Church of
Saffron Walden " (Masland, Saffron Walden, 1884). The fine clerestory
and large windows flood the interior of the church with light, and
the effect is very striking on entering it for the first time. There is a
good brass of a vested priest on the floor of the south chapel, with alb,
stole, chasuble, maniple, and amice. In the spandrils of four arches in
the south aisle the characteristic saffron plant is well introduced into the
carved stone-work. A few of the more venturous of the party climbed a
somewhat dilapidated ladder from the bell-loft to a parapet running round
the spire, and thence obtained a splendid view of the town and neighbour-
hood, one of the prettiest pictures being the sight of the numerous deer
feeding in the park at Audley End.
During the afternoon some members also inspected the " Maze," a
curious work on the Common, possibly of very remote origin (see a paper
by Mr. Maynard in ' Essex Naturalist,' vol. iii., pp. 244-47), and on the
way back to the " Rose and Crown " to tea, many of the more interesting
ancient houses in Walden were pointed out by the conductors.
After tea, Prof. Boulger read for the author, Mr. Joseph Clarke,
F.S A., a paper entitled "Notes on the Saffron Plant (Crocus sativus),
and its connection with the name of the town of Saffron Walden " (see
' Essex Naturalist,' i., pp. 9-16).
At the conclusion of the paper, the President asked the Club to
record its hearty thanks to the many local people who had been so kind
to them—Lord Braybrooke, Mr. Hosley and the housekeeper at Audley
End; Mr. Joseph Clarke, Mr. John Clarke, Mr. Joshua Clarke, Dr.
Stear, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Tuke, Mrs. Gibson, Mr. Maynard, the Rev.
T. Stevens, and he thought he might add the landlord of the " Rose and
Crown," to whom they were very much indebted for the care he had
taken of them. The votes of thanks were given with great cordiality,
and then this most pleasant and successful Field Meeting earne to an
end. All but the homeward journey, which seemed as if it would never
come to an end. The train crept out of stations only to crawl back
again and wait about the line in a purposeless way. The journey, which
in the morning occupied just one hour, extended in the evening over
three hours and forty minutes. But " all things come round to them
that will but wait; " Liverpool Street was reached at length, and those
members who lived along the Loughton line were fortunate enough to