132 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 



belief being that they were weapons of warfare used in the struggles between 

 Saxon and Dane a thousand years ago. We have passed a lock and two 

 bridges, and gazed joyously on the gambolling roach and dace in the trans- 

 parent stream, when we reach the Balance-engine, which plays an important 

 part in contributing to the comfort of two-fifths of the population of London. 

 On the right bank we see the birthplace of the New River (at Chadwell 

 Springs), or New River Head, and lower down the Amwell Springs, the 

 channel of which river was dug and fashioned in the reign of James I. to 

 supply the inhabitants of North London with water. For garden-like banks, 

 and purity of water, along a course of about 17 miles' crowfly— and over 40 

 miles in its windings — this New River is unsurpassed 



" We are now approaching the town of Ware, and rejoining the river. 

 On the left bank is a mansion, which was formerly a priory established by 

 Benedictine monks ; there is also the Priory Mill. Across the old river, 

 where we rejoin it at the end of the cut, the owner of the grounds keeps a bar 

 of wood across the stream as an assertion of private rights against intrusion ; 

 but the Conservators, on the occasion of their annual survey, remove this 

 bar, and proceed up the stream as an act of asserted sovereignty, which fact 

 is annually recorded as evidence to be used in case of future litigation. 



" And now we come to Ware itself — the old-fashioned town of maltkilns, 

 and all that pertains to the baking of grain and the manufacture of the staple 

 drink of Old England. Along the left bank we have a number of demesnes, 

 each of which has a summer-house overhanging the river. The town occupies 

 both banks, and has a cosy-looking bridge, which constitutes part of the 

 High Street, leading towards Cambridge. Formerly this was the premier 

 town for malting ; it is now put in the background by Wakefield and Burton. 

 Prior to the abolition of the malt tax, there were 150 excisemen constantly 

 engaged in the town; but that was when the malt had to be taxed before 

 being brewed, which secured that beer should be made of malt. Now that 

 the tax is imposed on the hogsheads of beer produced, the constituents of the 

 beer are — well, let us draw the veil, and view the town in other respects ! The 

 former name of the town was Giiaie, meaning a weare or dam, which was 

 constructed on the river, and strongly fortified by the Danes in 894, as a 

 means of protecting their vessels. The wily Alfred is said to have drained the 

 bed of the Lea near this place, thereby stranding the vessels and enabling him 

 to destroy the fort. The fish are sporting freely at this place, unconcerned 

 about Roman roads, Danes and Saxons, malting, 0/ history ; nor are they 

 much startled at the approach of even the Conservancy barge. 



" We pass the wharf and crane below Ware Bridge, and come to the 

 Tumbling Bay, where fish are abundant, and whence (or thereabouts) com- 

 mences a stretch of about two miles (more or less) of fishery, rented by the 

 Amwell Magna Angling Association (who have a handsome clubhouse on the 

 river bank), a veritable dreamland for anglers, the smiling woods on the 

 adjacent heights giving a tone to the scene which gladdens the heart of every 

 man who casts a line.^ Hard by, the River Ash, close to the road which runs 

 to Buntingford, empties its tolerably clear waters into the River Lea. Here 

 we come upon the pretty village of Amwell, which derives its name from 

 Emma's Well. Amwell Springs yield an extra supply to the New River, as 

 before stated. 



3 Some notable anglers' feats by members of this .\ssociation are given in the "Notes " 

 'column of the present part of the Essex Naturalist. 



