THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS. | |
| Having now dealt with the Decoys on both shores of the Blackwater, those that are positioned along the coast from the mouth of the River Come to Harwich shall be next treated; and finally the Decoys between Harwich and Manningtree, near the S. bank of the Stour. Inland Decoys, as before pointed out, did not exist in Essex. They all lay either close to, or within a very short distance of, the tide. Lion Point Decoy.-A Decoy existed within a ½ mile of Old Lion Point, near the coastguard station, 2 miles SSE. of St. Osyth, and 2½ miles E. of Colne Point. The pool is often spoken of as the "Wick" Decoy, as it was situated in the Wick marshes-on Cockett Wick Farm. It was made by the late Mr. George Simpson in 1860, but was never worked, and is now the property of Sir J. H. Johnson. Old Mose Hall Decoy, near Beaumont-cum-Moze, and 3½ miles NE. of Thorpe le Soken. There was formerly a Decoy here, on land belonging to Guy's Hospital, situated close to the tidal estuary called Hanford Water, near its NW. extremity at the head of Oakley Creek. In 1810 an action was brought by the then owner, Mr Carrington, against one Taylor, for firing a gun near the Decoy and frightening the fowl away, which gave the defendant an opportunity of shooting them. The case was tried by Lord Ellenborough in the Court of King's Bench, and resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff. It will be found reported in II East, p.571, and 2 Camp., p.258. The pond, as I am informed, has not been in use for the last forty years. Duck and Wigeon were the fowl chiefly taken here, but the proximity to a rival pool at Great Oakley Hall led to continual interference with the success of either, and eventually resulted in both Decoys being abandoned. The Old Mose Hall Decoy was last worked in 1841 by the widow of Mr Joseph Salmon, who for some years rented the Decoy and mansion from the Governors of Guy's hospital. The pool was 100 yards wide, nearly round in form, and had six pipes. The island called Pewit Island was near this Decoy, and it was so called on account of the vast gatherings of these birds that frequented it formerly. Great Oakley Halt.-There was formerly a Decoy here with six pipes, on the property of Miss Maria Bull, also situated near Hanford Water, and within 300 yards (N.) of the Old Mose Hall Decoy, just described. It has not been worked for many years, although used within the recollection of Mr. James Smith, now living at Harwich, who states that his father and grandfather before him were Decoymen at Great Oakley Hall. | |
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