A Little North Of This Part Of The Country Rises The River Stour,
Which For A Course Of Fifty Miles
Or more parts the two counties of
Suffolk and Essex, passing through or near Haveril, Clare,
Cavendish, Halsted, Sudbury, Bowers,
Nayland, Stretford, Dedham,
Manningtree, and into the sea at Harwich, assisting by its waters
to make one of the best harbours for shipping that is in Great
Britain--I mean Orwell Haven or Harwich, of which I have spoken
largely already.
As we came on this side we saw at a distance Braintree and Bocking,
two towns, large, rich, and populous, and made so originally by the
bay trade, of which I have spoken at large at Colchester, and which
flourishes still among them.
The manor of Braintree I found descended by purchase to the name of
Olmeus, the son of a London merchant of the same name, making good
what I had observed before, of the great number of such who have
purchased estates in this county.
Near this town is Felsted, a small place, but noted for a free
school of an ancient foundation, for many years under the
mastership of the late Rev. Mr. Lydiat, and brought by him to the
meridian of its reputation. It is now supplied, and that very
worthily, by the Rev. Mr. Hutchins.
Near to this is the Priory of Lees, a delicious seat of the late
Dukes of Manchester, but sold by the present Duke to the Duchess
Dowager of Bucks, his Grace the Duke of Manchester removing to his
yet finer seat of Kimbolton in Northamptonshire, the ancient
mansion of the family. From hence keeping the London Road I came
to Chelmsford, mentioned before, and Ingerstone, five miles west,
which I mention again, because in the parish church of this town
are to be seen the ancient monuments of the noble family of Petre,
whose seat and large estate lie in the neighbourhood, and whose
whole family, by a constant series of beneficent actions to the
poor, and bounty upon all charitable occasions, have gained an
affectionate esteem through all that part of the country such as no
prejudice of religion could wear out, or perhaps ever may; and I
must confess, I think, need not, for good and great actions command
our respect, let the opinions of the persons be otherwise what they
will.
From hence we crossed the country to the great forest, called
Epping Forest, reaching almost to London. The country on that side
of Essex is called the Roodings, I suppose, because there are no
less than ten towns almost together, called by the name of Roding,
and is famous for good land, good malt, and dirty roads; the latter
indeed in the winter are scarce passable for horse or man. In the
midst of this we see Chipping Onger, Hatfield Broad Oak, Epping,
and many forest towns, famed as I have said for husbandry and good
malt, but of no other note. On the south side of the county is
Waltham Abbey; the ruins of the abbey remain, and though antiquity
is not my proper business, I could not but observe that King
Harold, slain in the great battle in Sussex against William the
Conqueror, lies buried here; his body being begged by his mother,
the Conqueror allowed it to be carried hither; but no monument was,
as I can find, built for him, only a flat gravestone, on which was
engraven Harold Infelix.
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