DECOYS AND WILD-FOWLING IN ESSEX. 59 



The Essex decoys still in use are now only three in number. 

 They are: — The Marsh House Decoy, Tillingham; the Grange Decoy, 

 Tillingham ; and the Old Hall Decoy, ToUesbury (only occasionally 

 used), each of which will be fully noticed hereafter. 



The positions of all our Essex Decoys are clearly shown on the 

 accompanying map, together with the numbers assigned to them 

 in the following list. 



It does not appear that there are any decoys about Canvey Island 

 or along the Thames banks. Commencing with the most southerly 

 Essex decoy and proceeding northwards along our coast-line, we 

 meet with the following : — 



(i.) South Hall Decoy is in Paglesham parish, about half a 

 mile from South Hall, and a mile S.W. from Paglesham, on the north 

 bank of the Roach river, an arm of the Crouch. It is one acre in 

 extent, and has the remains of six pipes. It has been disused for 

 100 years, but there is some chance of its being re-worked by its 

 present tenant, Mr. James Wiseman. 



Those decoys on the south side of the Blackwater estuary (ten 

 in number) are as follows : 



(2.) The Grange Decoy is in Tillingham Marsh, two miles 

 S.E. from Tillingham, and three-quarters of a rnile from the coast. 

 The pool is rather more than an acre in extent, and has six pipes. 

 The average yearly take is from 1,500 to 2,000 fowl, chiefly Wigeon, 

 although more than once over 10,000 birds have been taken in a 

 year, even recently. In some years, the Wigeon almost entirely 

 desert this pool for the one next mentioned, and vice vefsa. The 

 present tenant, Mr. Chas. Page, of Dengie Hall, is cousin to Mr. 

 Robert Page, of Down Hall, Bradwell, tenant of No. 3. 



{3.) The Marsh House Decoy, Tillingham, is the property 

 of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, and is in the occupation of 

 Mr. Robert Page. The pool is rather more than an acre in extent, 

 and has six pipes. A precise description of its construction and 

 methods of working it has already been given above (pp. 51-58) ; while 

 ground-plans of both this and the last-named decoy, taken from the 

 25-inch ordnance survey maps, are given herewith. Many Wigeon 

 are often taken here, though in some years they are scarce. Pochards 

 used to be taken, but they caused trouble by diving back when in 

 the pipe, and Mr. Page took steps to destroy them. From 1859-60 

 to 1864-65, the average yearly catch was about 3,500; since then it 

 has been about 2,500 a year ; but of late years it has fallen to about 



