XVIII. 



XOTES ON THE RIVER RIB FROM STAXDON TO ITS JUXCTION 



WITH THE LEA. 



By Arthto Giles Puller, M.A., F.S.A., F.Z.S., E.R.G.S. 



Head at Ware, 30th March, 1882. 



The River Rib, about one mile below Puckcridge, flo^ys past the 

 village of Staudon, Avhich possesses two mills worked by the water 

 of the stream, one a coni-mill which stands immediately above a 

 bridge built in the year 1858 (to replace a former bridge destroyed 

 by a flood of unusual height in the month of October, 1857) ; the 

 other, for many years used as a paper-mill, but lately converted 

 into a saw-mill, stands a few yards above a ford and foot-bridge 

 by which the river can be crossed, about a quarter of a mile below 

 the bridge referred to above. 



In following the course of the river below Standon, the next 

 point most worthy of notice which we come to is the site of the 

 mansion or palace, completed in 1546 by Sir Ralph Sadler, called 

 Standon Lordship. It originally was of great size and contained 

 three courtyards, and according to local tradition King James the 

 First was entertained there one night on his journey from Scotland 

 to London. But small traces remain of this extensive pile of 

 buildings, save the arch of the principal entrance, and some parallel 

 terraces now covered with grass which formed part of the pleasure- 

 ground and suggest the idea of a vineyard. 



As we proceed down the course of the river, an extensive wood 

 called Plashes becomes visible on the right bank. This wood, now 

 reduced to 150 acres, was formerly of much greater extent, and has 

 long been reputed to be one of the last refuges of badgers in this 

 part of England. A small mound of earth covered with brushwood 

 adjoining a neighbouring cover called Blackie Meads still bears the 

 name of the Badger-pit ; and in confirmation of the above tradition 

 a remarkably fine badger, both in size and colouring, being beauti- 

 fully marked by black and white stripes, was caught in a trap 

 about half a mile from the pit in the month of March, 1869, on 

 land belonging to the author, and the specimen is now in his pos- 

 session. A little below the village of Latchford, on the left bank 

 of the stream, stands Arches Hall, built about fifteen years ago 

 by the late Mr. James Chapman, on land belonging to him; and 

 after passing the village of Hanging Wood, which bears the same 

 name as one of the Duke of Wellington's covers immediately ad- 

 joining, the river passes the boundary of the Youngsbury estate, 

 the farms on the right and left banks being respectively called 

 Great and Little Barwick. Great Barwick farmhouse is the manor- 

 house of an ancient manor named Berewyk, which was separated 

 from the manor of Standon at a very early date. 



It will be interesting for a few moments to trace the boundaries 

 of the ecclesiastical districts which meet at Barwick Ford and 



