In the kitchen are (or were lately) a coffin, a seal, some coins, and some urns dug up in an adjoining field towards the end of last century. The ESSEX HEAD, in Essex Street, Strand, London, W.C., probably commemorates the Earl of Essex, who was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth, rather than the county of that name. It clearly either takes its name from, or gives its name to, the street in which it stands. The inn was established in the last century. On the Forest, near High Beech, is a beer-shop known as the DICK TURPIN’S CAVE. It clearly takes its name from a hole in the ground not far distant, commonly spoken of as “Dick Turpin’s Cave.” The “cave” (if such it ever was) is now thickly overgrown with trees and brushwood. It is well known that Messrs. Dick Turpin and Co. especially haunted the neighbourhood of Epping and Hainault Forests, and until the end of last century it was not considered safe to traverse the roads thereabouts unless well armed. It may very well be, therefore, that the famous highwayman did, at some time or other, use this hole as a place of refuge. The HERCULES at Newport (the only example in Essex of this rather uncommon sign) has already been mentioned (p. 65), also the tradition that the BULL, which stood opposite to it, was by it compelled to close its doors. With regard to this inn Mr. C. K. Probert of Newport sends an interesting note. He says: “The HERCULES stands next to the old Vicarage. Now we know it was a common custom among village clergymen to take their pipe and pot at the village inn, as mentioned in the old song, which says: ‘At the sign of the Horse, Old Spintext, of course, Each night takes his pipe and his pot, O’er a Jorum of “nappy,” Contented and happy, There sits this canonical sot,’ &c., &c. Further, it is my belief that the HERCULES was started in opposition to the BULL, our Pastor (being the most learned individual in the place at the period) probably suggesting the classical name, in reference to the seventh labour of Hercules--the slaying of the Cretan Bull.” Forty years ago there existed at Colchester a MALTSTER’S INN, a MARINER’S INN, and a NEPTUNE; at Stratford a CHINAMAN, and at Tendring a CROWN AND BLACKSMITH, the latter being, perhaps, an impaled sign signifying that the landlord of the CROWN was also a blacksmith.