I5} THE. ESSEX NATURALIST. 
other objects of antiquity, were much admired. The early 17th century 
staircase, with its carved open well, the original plastered ceiling of the 
Saloon, and the contents of the fine libraries, may be mentioned as being 
of special interest. Some time was spent in the lower corridor examining 
the magnificent collection of stuffed birds and animals housed there. The 
small Museum of antiquities, obtained from excavations in the locality by 
the Hon. R. C. Neville between 1840-1860, was visited, and some time 
was spent examining the Saxon remains from the cemeteries at Linton 
and the Fleam Dyke, the fine series of Bronze Age pottery from the barrows 
of the vicinity, and the Roman remains from Great Chesterford, Ickleton 
and other sites. The buried outfit of a Roman blacksmith, with his stock- 
in-trade of scythe blades, slave fetters, chariot tyres, etc., excited particular 
attention. 
Altogether our inspection of matics End was a much more appreciative 
one than was that of Samuel Pepys, who, on his second visit in 1667, was 
decidedly difficult to please, and had scarcely a good word to say for either 
the house or its furniture. But Pepys warmed up in the cellars! ‘“‘ Only 
the gallery is good, and above all things the cellars, where we went down 
and drank of much good liquor. And, indeed, the cellars are fine : and here 
my wife and I did sing to my great content.’’ The present party, although 
“mighty merry,” did not share the diarist’s advantages in this respect. 
Leaving the Mansion the visitors then inspected the Abbey Farm and 
Almshouses. This interesting structure was built czvca 1600 on a double 
quadrangular plan as an almhouse of twenty tenements, with a chapel, hall 
and kitchen in the range between the two courts. One court is still used 
as an almshouse, the second being now converted into two tenements and 
farm buildings. The Almshouse court, and the kitchen, with its fine fire- 
place, were inspected. It was noted with regret that the leaded windows 
with their fragments of stained glass from Walden Abbey and Jesus College, 
Cambridge, were in a sad state of disrepair. 
Returning to Walden, afternoon tea was partaken of in the Humming 
Bird Room at the Museum, by kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs. George Morris, 
after which the Castle was visited. This building was probably erected 
upon the site of the Manor House of Ansgar, Master of the Horse to Edward 
the Confessor, by Geoffrey de Mandeville, first Earl of Essex, who had re- 
ceived the Manor of Walden as part of the 117 lordships granted him by 
the Conqueror. The grim Norman keep, built entirely of flint and chalk, 
was granted by Stephen on the rebellion of the third de Mandeville to one 
Turgis d’Avranches, a typical “‘robber’’ baron. On the rebellion and 
downfall of this said Turgis the Castle appears to have been dismantled, 
as it is not mentioned in any later records. The present building consists 
merely of the shell of the lower storey or dungeon, but traces of the well 
shaft and fireplace of the first storey and the original wall facing are still 
visible. In the Castle, an old stone filter from a farm at Hempstead, stone 
coffins from Berden and Ickleton Priories, and the pillory from a 
are preserved. 
At 7.30 p.m. the members of the party attended a reception and enter- 
tainment, given in their honour by the Worshipful Mayor (Alderman David 
Miller, J.P.) and Corporation of the Borough. ‘The visitors were received 
in the Council Chamber by the Mayor and Mayoress. An excellent musical 
