I04 thf: ESSEX field club. 



Gould pointed out the remains of an ancient road, probably a portion of the pre- 

 coach road to Newmarl^et which after running along the eastern side of the 

 Roding crossed that river at Abridge and passed by a course, still traceable 

 nearly to Theydon Garnon Church, whereabouts it divided. The western branch 

 led to Epping, while the main line of road led northwards past Garnish Hall, 

 Stewards Green and Coopersale Street to Harlow. 



The course of this ancient road is described in Mr. Winstone's book, " Extracts 

 from the minutes of the Epping and Ongar Highway Trust," 1891.^ The road 

 is shown in the last Ordnance Survey Map (one inch scale), perhaps too plainly, 

 as it indicates an existing road where it is now somewhat difficult to find (in 

 places) more than a footpath. Near the rectory the party alighted and walked up 

 to the church through the fine avenue of limes and chestnuts. It was visited by 

 the Club in 1880, under the guidance of the then rector, Sir Cavendish Foster, 

 and is notified in the PROCEEDINGS (vol. i. pp. xli.-ii). The name of the manor 

 is derived from Sir Roger de Garnon who came over with the Conqueror and 

 resided at the moated farm. Garnish Hall, a little north of the church. 



The village is some distance from the church and is generally called Cooper- 

 sale — tradition says from the fine ale which was served by a man named Cooper at 

 the " Merry Fiddlers " there. Mr. Crouch gave this anecdote for what it was worth ! 



The churchyard is exceedingly pretty, and the timber south porch, and fine 

 red-brick tower, at once attracted attention, as also did the'picturesque priest's 

 house at the west end of the church, which is said to have been built as a lodging 

 for the priest serving the church from Waltham Abbey. 



Mr. Crouch, Mr. Sworder, and Mr. G. E. Pritchett, gave many details of the 

 construction of the church, and of the contained monuments and brasses, some of 

 which are of considerable interest. From the north entrance of the churchyard a 

 fine view was obtained, in the foreground being the moated Garnon (or Garnish) 

 Hall, now a farm-house, while towards the west was pointed out the footpath, a 

 remnant, Mr. Gould thought, of the road by Coopersale Hall to Epping, and to 

 the right the track alluded to above to Coopersale Village and Common, and 

 through the forest to the m.ain Harlow Road, was indicated. 



At Hobbs Cross Farm, Mr. James Smith showed in his garden a large mass 

 of Conglomerate brought from a gravel-pit near Theydon Mount Church. 



Amid the profusion of ordinary hedge row plants, Veronicas, Stellaria, Vetches, 

 Ground-ivy, etc., near the church, was noticed the pretty Adoxa moschatellina, 

 first found there twelve years ago. 



Some members of the party then drove by the Brook-house and Skinner's 

 Farms to Theydon Mount Church, others preferred to take the carriage drive 

 across the fields. Here, and particularly near the vicarage house, now occupied 

 as cottages, were seen a considerable number of the Painted-Lady Butterflies 

 (Cynthia cardut), and one or two Vanessa atalanta. These were, of course, 

 hybernated spacimens, females ; but their appearance was a good harbinger of 

 plentiful broods of the handsome insect in the late summer, if only the weather 

 is favourable. Under the elm trees bordering the road was found a larva of the 

 White Hair-streak Butterfly, Thecla w-album, which the wind had blown down. 

 A considerable number of more common insects were noticed, also a Green 

 Woodpecker's nest, and in the park of Hill Hall some magnificent pollarded 

 trees — hornbeams and beeches. At the north entrance are some boulders of 

 considerable size. 



J Mr. Winstone kimlly sent copies of the map from his book, for the information of the members 



