DECOYS AND WILD-FOWLING IN ESSEX. 67 



(26.) Dovercourt Decoy, one mile E. of Ramsey, on a marsh 

 adjoining South Hall, has not been worked for sixty years. 



The four following decoys lie along the S. side of the estuary of 

 the River Stour, within three miles E. of Bradfield. All have been 

 worked within living memory, but no particulars are now obtainable. 



(27.) Roydon Hall Decoy lies near Roydon Hall, S. of Stour 

 Wood, one mile W. of Ramsey and four miles E. of Bradfield. 



(28.) The Old Decoy, or Jacques Hall Old Decoy, lay 



half a mile E. of Jacques Hall, and one mile N.E. from Bradfield. 

 It is now dry. 



(29.) Jacques Hall Decoy lay three-quarters of a mile S. of 

 the last-named, and one mile S.E. from Bradfield. Slight traces 

 only of it now remain. 



(30.) Pond Hall Decoy lay half a mile E. of the last-named, 

 and, like it, is in the parish of Wix. Both are about a mile S. of the 

 River Stour. Mr. Fitch sends me the following interesting advertise- 

 ment (dated 1754) relating to this decoy : 



" A Sober Man, either single or married, who can come well recommended, 

 and understands managing a Decoy Pond, by enquiring at Pond-Hall in Wicks, 

 near Manningtree, in Essex, may hear of a Place. He will have Husbandry 

 Work found him after the Catching Season is over, and a House to live in, if 

 married." 



"Whereas the WiLD-FoWL coming and g'^ing to and from my Decoy-Ponds 

 have several Times last Season been affrighted by People shooting and making 

 Paths through my Fields, out of the ancient Church or Foot-Paths : I give this 

 publick Notice, to prevent such unwarrantable Practices, that I will bring an 

 Action at Law against any Person who shall presume to do any Detriment to 

 my said Ponds for the future : And as an Encouragement to my Decoy-Man, or 

 any other Person who will make Discovery of any one doing me Damage in the 

 above Manner, or breaking my Hedges ; I do offer upon the Conviction of any one 

 Person, or Persons, a Reward of Two Guineas, to be paid by me. 



"/"/5(J. Hickeringill," 



(31.) Wormingford Decoy, on the S. bank of the river, three 

 miles ^V.S.W. from Nayland, is further removed from the sea than 

 any other Essex decoy. The pool is nine acres in extent, and is 

 still much visited by Wild-fowl. It is skirted by reeds and bulrushes, 

 and surrounded by willows and alders.* 



* It is by no means improbable that other Essex decoys, now forgotten, may yet be brought to 

 light. For instance, Mr. Fitch has been informed of the former existence of decoys on Osey 

 Island and at Mundon, but can find no trace of them ; while the " Old Pool " and the " New 

 Pool " appear on the Ordnance Maps in a detached portion of Great Stambridge parish, due 

 S.S.E. from Burnham. 



It may be useful to point out that, as near as can be made out, the above-named decoys are 

 marked on the following old county maps : — 



Maps in Morant's Essex ^1768) : 6, 8, Brick House, Mundon, 12, 18, 30. 



Chapman and Andre's (1777) : 2 (marked but not named), 5, 7 (an old decoy), 12, 17(2), 20, 

 24, 25, 27. 



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