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Journal of Proceedings.
Peter and Paul was inspected, and a visit was paid to the school-room,
where the Rev. J. W. Kenworthy and other friends had prepared an
interesting collection of stone implements, many found in the neigh-
bourhood of Braintree, Coggeshall, &c. [These specimens were after-
wards kindly sent for exhibition to the meeting of the Club on October
3rd, post.]
The party then walked to " Dewlands," Bay's modest home for the
twenty years preceding his death, permission to view which was kindly
given by the occupier, Mr. Mortier. A good engraving of this house is
given in the volume published by the Bay Society, the ' Correspondence
of John Ray,' 1848.
From " Dewlands" the party drove to the village of Faulkbourne,
where was a " Folks-brook " or well, dedicated to S. Germanus, " which,
in ancient times, was in mighty reputation, and much frequented by
superstitious people," and where John Bay lived for a short time before
settling at Black Notley on the death of his mother.
On arriving at Faulkbourne Church, which is situated just inside the
Park of Faulkbourne Hall, the Society was received by the Hector, the
Rev. Frederick Spurrell, who proceeded to describe the chief features
of the edifice. He said : " This church, dedicated to S. Germanus, is one
of the most ancient in Essex. Besides the Roman bricks worked up, as is
common throughout the county, in the walls, the solidity of construc-
tion, the thick joints of the mortar between the stones, the nearness
of the glass to the outer walls, the simplicity of the mouldings, and the
general character of the round-headed windows and. doorways, all
indicate the early Norman date of the erection. Mentioned as Falche-
burna in the Domesday Survey of William I., A.D. 1086—but without
specifying the existence of the church, as the Manor had been then
given by the Conqueror to his relative Hamo, there can be no doubt the
church was built by him immediately after, if not during, the survey.
The east end was probably at first a semi-circular apse, the evidence of
which is a line of quoins traceable in the north and south sides of the
chancel. After about 200 years, a general repair of the church appears
to have been made, by altering the apse to the present square end, and
inserting the east window and some others, in the Early Decorated style
of Edward I., 1260. Some forty or fifty years later, a new window was
added in the north wall of the nave, still containing remains of coeval
stained glass of 1330. The latest mediaeval addition is the window in
the south side of the nave, of red bricks, late Perpendicular date,
possibly 1470; and is interesting because probably of the same date as
the beautiful tower at the Hall. The re-turned seats in the chancel,
and the wood-work of the spire are probably 1370. Of the rood screen,
two upright posts remain, cased over when the present seating was
erected in Queen Anne's reign, 1701. The font is of Perpendicular
date, and of a very plain character. In the spire, pointed, and of oak
shingle, and one of the peculiar characteristics of this district, one bell