198 
NATURE NOTES 
Cxsar’s well or pool. The latter was probably the only water supply to the 
great prehistoric camp, which is now enclosed in the private portion of Holwood 
Park. A short walk along the common brought the party to the little swing gate, 
known as “Scotland Stile : ’ (the entrance to the public footpath across Holwood 
Park). Much interest was taken in a twin oak and yew tree which grow so close 
that they appear to form one trunk ; and, but for the difference of bark, it would 
be almost impossible to tell which part belonged to which. The “ Wilberforce 
Oak ” was also inspected, it being, according to an inscription on the stone seat 
near by, which is an extract from the diary of Wilberforce, the identical tree 
under which he determined to abolish the slave trade. The rest of the walk to 
Downe was across glorious undulating fields known locally as the “ Green Hills,” 
thickly dotted with fragrant Marjoram, Thyme and other members of the Chalk 
flora. Unfortunately, time did not permit the party to view the house, green- 
houses and gardens where the illustrious Charles Darwin lived and worked so 
many years, as they are some distance from the route ; so, after a refreshing tea 
at the “ Queen's Head,” all returned to Hayes by the lanes. 
Saturday , August 18. — The very unsettled weather, and the holiday season, 
doubtless accounted for the sparse attendance at this ramble, six Selbornians only 
meeting the guide, Mr. W. Percival Westell, F.R.H.S., M.B.O.U., at Bricket 
Wood. Bricket Wood is the rendezvous during the summer of thousands of 
children, who gather to enjoy their annual “treat,” but the little hamlet is more 
interesting to nature-lovers because it is a splendid botanical and entomological 
district. The party at once started for Munden, the seat of the Hon. A. Holland 
Hibbert, where they were kindly conducted by Mr. Ruse, the gardener, through 
the gardens and grounds. The view from the terrace, with the river Colne in the 
valley, was greatly admired. Two trees in the grounds call for mention, a fine 
specimen of Catalpa bigtionioides, which was in flower, and Nyssa sylvatica. 
The latter is a very rare tree in this country, and is a native of the United States. 
The flower is very insignificant and the chief characteristic seems to be the beauti- 
ful tints of the leaves in the autumn. It is related to the English Dogwood. 
The tree at Munden did not increase very much for the first forty years after 
being planted, but now grows freely. The grass-walk, over-arched with Beech 
and various coniferous trees, was delightful, and the grateful shade cool and 
refreshing. Aldenham Abbey next came into view, and the exquisite red, yellow 
and white water-lilies were a feast of splendour. The spotted trout, the cheery 
Autumn song of a robin, and the antics in mid-air of a Spotted Fly-catcher did 
not escape attention. Reaching Aldenham Village, the party paid a visit before 
tea to the Church of St. Tohn the Baptist. The tomb from out of which some 
Sycamore trees grow was duly pointed out, and those who ascended the tower 
were amply repaid by the magnificent view' of the surrounding country. The 
Church is said to rest on the foundation of an earlier Saxon building, and it is 
probable that there has existed a Church here for over one thousand years. The 
earliest portion of the present building is, however, not more than 700 years old. 
This is the little Norman window’ at the west end of the south aisle. About 
1250 A.D., the Church was largely rebuilt, and the beautiful Purbeck Marble 
Font, the Tower windows on either side of it, and the two western arches on the 
south side of the Chancel, probably date from that period. Visitors cannot fail to 
notice the difference in height and in their capitals of the pillars of the two sides of 
the nave, those on the south being at least one hundred years older than those on 
the north. The Nave roof is a very beautiful example of fifteenth-century work, 
pictures of the decoration on which may be seen in South Kensington Museum. 
The most beautiful monuments in the Church are the recumbent effigies of the 
wife and daughter-in-law of William Crowmer, Lord Mayor of London in 1413 
and 1423. The Church is very rich in memorial brasses of the fifteenth and 
sixteenth centuries, and a little Jacobean figure of Mrs. Katherine Cade, who died 
in 1650, is well worth examination. The Tower was probably built in the thir- 
teenth century, and some large specimens of Hertfordshire Puddingstone have 
been used in building the buttresses. After tea at “The Chequers” the party 
wandered along the lanes, and then descending the valley again reached the 
River Colne, leaving that river again where it joins the Ver. The joint stream is 
known as the Colne, which the writer thinks is a slight upon the Ver ! Bricket 
Wood Station was reached in good time for the train back to town. 
