1st June 1943

Tuesday

Worked hard on the [War Agricultural Committee] Minutes, and got the lot done, ready for a day off.  Went up to Kingsford to see old Mr. Russell, who has bought a good deal of Doctor Laver’s books.  He appears to have been a book-binder, and knows little about the books which he has bought.  He has Philip Hill’s copy of Morant's 'History and Antiquities of Colchester', with the annotations, which Mr. Russell thought were Morant’s own notes for the second edition.  I looked through the volume again, and suddenly found a section and plan of “Le Stonhous”, which I had quite overlooked.  This is of the greatest importance, and is the only record of this very ancient house.  Now I shall have to go to considerable trouble to get a copy made.  The plan does not, unfortunately, show any orientation, but the house seems to have stood at the High Street end of Pelhams Lane, with an open yard behind reaching back to Culver Street.  Hill’s note on the plan states that the place was pulled down about 1730. 

Lovely evening.  Got back at 8, with a strong following wind.  We have had a good deal of wind this year.

More details on the 12th century stone houses of Colchester, to which Rudsdale refers to in this diary entry, can be found on the British History Online website, see 2nd paragraph of the section: 'The Early Middle Ages'.  CP