ARCHAEOLOGY
In 1901, Professor Meldola (President again in that year) gave as his
Address "The Coming of Age of the Essex Field Club" (Essex Nat. 12: 73) in
which he recapitulated the scientific work of the Club to that date, which in-
cluded much archaeological field work on Ambresbury Banks, Loughton Camp
and exploration of the Grays Deneholes. In 1906 the "Red Hill Exploration
Committee" undertook some research, in conjunction with the Essex
Archaeological Society but this venture ended in disagreement and differences
which caused the Club's support to be withdrawn in 1909. The problem of the
Essex Red Hills was not dropped and The Essex Naturalist carried Mr Linder's
summaries of our knowledge in 1938 and again in 1940.
Although the Biology of Essex had provided the bulk of the material
published in the Essex Naturalist, reflecting the weight of interest of the
Members, the Geology and Archaeology of Essex have ever been important in the
activities of the Club. These disciplines have been the specialist subjects of
several of our Presidents, and their Presidential Addresses show how wide are
the interests of our Members, and of their Presidents.
THE MORANT CLUB
No account of The Essex Field Club would be complete without reference
to The Morant Club, which was formed by many members of the Essex Field
Club. The Morant Club was inaugurated on 17th December 1909. It was a
"spade club" purely; it worked in Essex only and was named after Philip
Morant, eighteenth century Historian of the County. It was intended not to
compete with the two County Societies, The Essex Field Club or The Essex
Archaeological Society, but endeavoured to work with both. It produced several
reports of great scientific value, but soon after 1922 its activities flagged and the
Club ceased to exist as an entity in 1926.
Its 13 publications included:
A MOUND AT CHADWELL St. MARY (Miller Christy & Reader, 1914)
AN INSULA OF ROMAN COLCHESTER (R. E. Mortimer Wheeler, 1921)
EXCAVATION OF PLESHY (Miller Christy, 1922)
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