52 



The Crouch takes its rise from the hilly 

 ground south of Billericay, and runs a course 

 of about twenty-five miles to the ocean, passing 

 the villages of Ramsden-Cray, Wickford, Run- 

 well, and Burnham. Ten miles above its 

 mouth, it receives the Broom -Hill Stream. 

 There are good pike, perch, eels, bream, and a 

 small sprinkling of trout, which are, however, 

 generally of a good size, and rich flavour. 



The Blackwater rises near to Saffron- Walden. 

 It traverses a south-east course of nearly thirty 

 miles, and passes Redwinter, Weathersfield, 

 Shalford, Panfield, Bocking, Great Bardfield, 

 Coggeshall, Kelvedon, Great Braxted, and 

 Little Braxted, to the neighbourhood of Wit- 

 ham. Here it receives the waters of the Pods- 

 Brook, a stream which runs an extent of fifteen 

 miles. After this junction, the Blackwater 

 forms another with the Chelmer; after which 

 it flows into the sea, having a course of forty- 

 six miles. 



The Chelmer rises near to the Blackwater, 

 and flows a south-western course of twenty-four 

 miles to Chelmsford. Here it is joined by 

 another stream, which springs out of Thordon 

 Park, and has a northern course of fourteen 

 miles. The whole range of the Chelmer is 

 about thirty-four miles. There are good pike, 



