OBJECTS OF INTEREST. 57 



Ongar, Halstead, and elsewhere were sold. The 

 remnant of the property the last earl left away from 

 his mother's family to his cousin on the father's 

 side, the late Earl Cowley. The great increase in 

 building value of property so near London is, under 

 good management, gradually restoring the estate. 



After being shut up for a great number of years, 

 in 1880 the ornamental portions of the Park, com- 

 prising the woods, water, and heronry, were acquired 

 by the Corporation of London in exchange for 

 several pieces of Forest land, of great value for 

 building, but of little or no use to the public, 

 ^8000 being paid in addition as a make-weight. 

 The whole has been added to the Forest, but the 

 grounds round the great lake are closed at night. 

 Unfortunately the direct and natural access to this 

 recreation ground from Snaresbrook Station by 

 Wanstead Church was not acquired. The visitor 

 from this direction must leave that on his right, 

 and follow the road towards the river Roding 

 until he finds the gate. A convenient exit has 

 been provided near Mornington Villas, opposite 

 what remains of Evelyn's Avenues, and accessible 

 from Forestgate Station across Wanstead flats, or 

 from Leytonstone by the Avenues, so that the tour 

 of the grounds can be made in either direction 

 without retracing steps. 



AMBRESBURY BANKS AND LOUGHTON CAMPS. 



These two ancient camps are in the heart of 

 the Forest, and owe their state of preservation 

 in some measure to that fact, and their consequent 

 immunity from the levelling action of agriculture. 

 Ambrcsbury BanksXxQ.'!, about a mile south of the town 



