THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 3I 



and nobody gave in. More convincing testimony to the genuine attraction of the 

 place and the project could not be imagined. At Cabin Plain a large tent had 

 lieen pitched, and tea was jmivided, after which the details of the scheme were ex- 

 plained bv jNIr. Buxton, and comjilimentary speeches Mere made by Professor 

 Meldola, President of the Essex Field Club, Mr. Shaw Lefevre, President of the 

 {Commons Preservation Society. Sir Robert Hunter, Mr. David Howard, Mr. F. C. 

 (lould, and other gentlemen. A curious and slightly sinister background was 

 formed by a ring of gii)sies, who have a very particular interest in the matter, and 

 who drew near to listen to their fate. They did not betray the slightest emotion, 

 perhaps because several constables were present in their honour, or dishonour." 



A vote of thanks to Mr. Buxton for his persevering and most successful work 

 in connection with the scheme, was passed with acclaim, and Mr. Buxton, in 

 reply, wished to emphasise his indebtedness to his colleagues on the Commons 

 Preservation Society for loyal and effective suj^port during the difficult negociations. 



After giving a short sketch of the historv of the Hainault enclosures, the 

 Times Correspondent continued : — 



" The present scheme is to reverse the former process and reclaim a substantial 

 portion of this lost forest. The author of it and the conductor of the negotiations 

 — with the moral support of the Commons Preservation Society — is Mr. Buxton, 

 who has long been a vigilant and generous champion of the jireservation of nature 

 for the benefit of the people. The extent of his success and the amount of land 

 leclaimed will depend on the public response, which has so far been very- 

 encouraging. Topographical details without a map woukl be merely confusing, 

 but some idea of the plan can be given. The negotiations already entered into 

 cover two separate areas, one of about 800 acres and the other ot 70 acres. The 

 nucleus of the first is Lambourne Common, which consists of 188 acres of virgin 

 forest land. It is here that the gipsies camp. Their number varies, but, as a 

 rule, runs into several hundreds. On Saturday they had between 60 and 70 vans 

 on the green, besides tents. They help themselves to the trees for firewood, and 

 their depredations, which are painfully visible, have long exercised the mind of the 

 Commons Preservation Society. In fact the necessity of getting rid of the gipsies 

 lias considerably stimulated the scheme. It is proposed to acquire the timber and 

 the manorial rights of the common, and to add to it three adjoining ]:)lots of 

 enclosed land. One of these is still in a forestal state, the others are cultivated. 

 The most important is an area of 475 acres belonging to the Crown. The ground 

 is high and hilly, and commands a view right across the Thames. The remaining 

 and separate portion is known as Grange Hill Forest. It lies near Woodford 

 Bridge and is a beautiful piece of pure forest. In all there will be 346 acres of 

 forestal and 527 acres of cultivated land. Mr. Buxton's idea is not to plant the 

 latter with the trees, but to lay it down in grass and sow trees, or let them sow 

 themselves, which they do in a very interesting manner. Thorns and briars soon 

 spring up and afford protection to the young saplings. In nearly every patch may 

 be found a young oak or hornbeam. The trees, it is to be noted, run considerably 

 larger, where they still exist, on the Hainhault side than in the greater part of 

 Epj:)ing Forest. There is no doubt that the Avhole area will become extremely 

 beautiful when reaf^brested. It lies high and will afford good golf links. It will 

 also be very accessible from the great eastward extensions of London by the new 

 Great Eastern loopline, now under construction, which turns north soon after 

 leaving Ilford and curves round by Barkingside and Chigwell Row to Woodford 

 Bridge." 



