STRAY NOTES, PREHISTORIC, SAXON, AND NORMAN. 2 2^ 



I am strongly inclined to think that this earthwork and wood 

 may be identified with a certain wood known in the year 1222, as 

 " The Defence of Navestock," with which its present title, " Fortifi- 

 cation Wood," may be said to be synonymous. 



We find in an Ecclesiastical Visitation of that date, known as 

 The Domesday of St. Paul's, the following entry, " Stephen son of 

 Robert holds [amongst other lands] half-anacre juxta defensum de 

 Nastok,"'' and of this same Stephen it is further recorded that "he 

 claims hereditary right in the forest of wood which is called The 

 Defence, and shall answer to the Canons or their Bailiff concerning 

 injury to the trees and shall have of windbreche whatever in the 

 sight of the bailiff may be deemed unfit for timber, as also the 

 loppings of the trees which are strewn about during the felling of 

 timber." ^ 



If Fortification Wood (as I take it to be) is identical with " The 

 Defence of Navestock " (which latter was certainly a forest of 

 wood capable of producing full-grown timber in 1222), some con- 

 siderable antiquity must be allowed for the execution and employment 

 of this earthwork, which by the kind permission of our good friend 

 and most hospitable host, Mr. Sellar,'' we have permission to visit 

 to-day. 



In connection with this work as a place of defence, I venture to 

 call your attention to its position — directly east of Navestock Park 

 and Church — the vicinity of Beacon Hill (a suggestive name in con- 

 nection with defence) — and in particular to the shapes and positions 

 (as marked upon the Ordnance Map) of the small clumps of wood 

 by which it is bounded on the south-east, south, and south-west. 

 Those among you who have visited the earthwork at South Weald 

 known as "The Camp," may possibly have some suggestion to offer 

 as to whether or not Fortification Wood— anciently known as " The 

 Defence of Navestock "—and "The Camp " at South Weald, may 

 have once had some or any features in common. 



///. NAVESTOCK IN SAXON TIMES. 

 From the prehistoric we now turn to the historic period, and 

 naturally the first question to be answered is : Wh^ is the origin and 

 derivation of the name of the place itself? I fear that I cannot 

 give a satisfactory answer. 



7 Hale's S. Paul's Domesday, p. 79. 



8 Ibid., p 73- 



9 D. P. Sellar, Esq., Dudbrook. 



