XXXIV rnOCEEDrNGS OP THE 



Field Meeting, 20th July, 1882. 

 TEWIN AND WELWYN. 



The members present, nearly all of whom were from Hertford, 

 went to their destination in two conveyances. On leaving Hertford 

 they drove along the Hertingfordbury road through Panshanger Park 

 to the Poplar's Green Lodge, halting in the park to view the 

 Panshanger Oak. This fine old tree is nearly twenty feet in 

 circumference at the height of ten feet from the ground, and in 

 1825 was calculated to contain twenty loads of timber. 



Proceeding by the Holly Bushes to Tewin, at the junction of 

 the road leading to Marden Hill, Mr. Andrews, who made arrange- 

 ments for and had the guidance of this meeting, gave an account of 

 the trees to be found in the neighbourhood, specially mentioning 

 the holly as forming a prominent feature, holly -bushes reaching 

 from Bramfield and Tewin to Bengeo and Hertford, and growing 

 to a large size. Tewin Church was then visited, and also the 

 celebrated tomb of Lady Anne Grimston. Of this Mr. Cussans 

 says: " Issuing from beneath the tomb are seven ash-trees growing 

 from one root, and three sycamores in like manner connected. 

 These trees have lifted up the solid stone-work of the tomb ; and 

 the iron railings, which enclose it, pressing against the stems 

 of the trees, are, in some places, so completely embedded in the 

 wood that it is impossible to sever them."* 



The party then drove through Tewin Water Park, leaving the 

 conveyances for a short time in order to take the woodland walk 

 by the bank of the Mimram, and here Epipactis latifolia and 

 Listera ovata were found. On arriving at Welwyn, the church, 

 was visited, the Eev. Canon Wingfield (the Eector) and the Pev. 

 W. d'A. Crofton pointing out and explaining its more interesting 

 archfEological and architectural features. Prom the church the 

 members proceeded to the Grange, the residence of Colonel Smyth, 

 and, in the unavoidable absence of the Colonel, they were received 

 and entertained at tea by Mrs. Smyth. Some time was then 

 spent in the library in the examination of Colonel Smyth's natural- 

 history collections and books, and after the thanks of the party 

 had been expressed to Mrs. Smyth for her kind hospitality. Dr. 

 Young's room in the Old Rectory, his avenue under the trees of 

 which he is said to have composed his " Kight Thoughts," and the 

 stone erected to his memory by his successor "next but one," 

 were successively visited. Canon Wingfield then accompanied the 

 members through the Pectory grounds and to Mr. Blow's bee- 

 hives, which form quite an extensive " model-village. " in a damp 

 wood by the river-side in his (Canon Wingfield's) grounds. 



After thanking the Canon for the time and attention he had 

 given to the members, the conveyances were again brought into 

 requisition and the party reached Hertford at about eight o'clock. 



* ' Hist. Herts,' Hertford Hundred, p. 22, 



