and trees. In this garden the Gardenia first bloomed in England.
Upon the death of his mother, Richard Warner erected a memorial
to her in the grounds, and this will be seen during the visit.
The Society of Apothecaries visited Woodford annually and
botanised in the neighbourhood. Their researches were collated
and published by Warner under the title of Plantae Woodfordienses,
one of the earliest of the local Floras published in the English
language.
The party will proceed past Woodford Parish Church, where
Richard Warner is buried, by way of Upminster to North Ocken-
don. Members will note Upminster Windmill, one of the few
remaining in the county which is maintained in working order.
At North Ockendon, by kind permission of the Chief Education
Officer and the Essex Education Committee, we shall visit the gar-
den at "Stubbers". This ancient seat or messuage, originally in the
family of Gwllim ap Jenkyn alias Herbert of Guorney in
Monmouthshire, passed to William Coys, the son of a rich Mercer.
He was born in London in the Parish of St. Mary Aldermanbury
in September, 1560. and succeeded to his father's estate in 1578.
In this garden he cultivated many rare and exotic plants, specialising
for a time in Primulas. Here it was that in 1604 a Yucca blossomed
for the first time in England and was later illustrated by Lobelius.
Here, too, the Rhubarb was grown, possibly for the first time in
England and certainly for the first time in Essex. William Coys
made experiments in the brewing of Beer, and was able to make a
great improvement in the quality of that beverage. From this gar-
den the Ivy-leaved Toadflax, an Italian species, was spread to
become a common plant in the British Flora. It was on the journey
from Romford (which the party will have just made) to North
Ockendon to visit Coys that John Goodyear first noted the smooth-
leaved Elm (Ulmus carpinifolius), "much used for the naves of
carts". From "Stubbers" we shall proceed to North Ockendon
Church, where the Rector, the Rev. A. Hall, has consented to give
a brief description of the church and the numerous interesting
memorials therein. William Coys and his wife were buried in the
chancel of tin's church. The re-paving of the chancel during
restorations in the 19th century has hidden the tomb. The church
is Norman, with an Early English north aisle and north chancel
chapel and with a low loth century tower with diagonal buttresses.
There are many monuments and brasses, particularly to the Poyntz'
family, together with an unusual tester. The Parish Register re-
cording the burial of William Coys in 1627 will be available for
inspection.
At the conclusion of the visit to the church, the party will, by
courtesy of the Rector and Mrs. Hall, partake of picnic lunch in the
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