SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN several weeks Lord Lonsdale hunted hounds him- self four days a week, showing excellent sport. Many time-honoured meets were revived, and his lordship has the best of wishes with him that his reign over the Cottesmore will be as long as those of his ancestors, who established the fame of the hunt in the country in which he was bred and born. Masters of the Cottesmore Mr. Thomas Noel . . , Sir William Lowther . S!r Gilbert Heathcote . . Sir William Lowther, after- wards 1st Earl of Lons- dale Sir Richard Sutton . Mr. Henley Greaves Mr. Burrows Sir John Trollope, after- wards Lord Kesteven Col. Henry Lowther, after- wards 3rd Earl of Lons- dale St. G. Henry, 4th Earl of Lonsdale Lord Carrington .... Mr. William Baird . . . Mr. Evan Han bury . Hugh Cecil, 5 th Earl of Lonsdale 1730-1788 1788-1802 1 802-1 806 1806-1842 1842-1847 1847-1852 1852-1855 1855-1870 1870-1876 1876-1878 1878-1880 1880-1900 1900-1907 1907- ' For perfection of country the Cottesmore has no equal, possessing as it does some of the grandest scenting grass in the world, with deep woodlands harbouring a stout breed of foxes that show the best of sport. No wonder the following of the Cottes- more has always been large and representative of the world of sport and fashion, for it is the one country of all others where a good man on a bold horse may enjoy himself Added to this the competition is keen for pride of place, with the best from Melton and Oakham following the tuneful cry of hounds. Cot- tesmore domains are in Rutland and Leicestershire, extending about eighteen miles from north to south, and twenty miles from east to west. On the north and east it is joined by the territory of the Belvoir running up to Melton Mowbray, which is the apex where the three Leicestershire packs meet. . . . The Cottesmore's nearest meets for Melton are Stapleford Park, Wyld's Lodge, or Leesthorpe, from which fix- tures a run across their best country is insured, with an excursion over the borders of a neighbouring hunt. Famous in the annals of hunting history is the name of Ranksboro' Gorse, that looms on the hill top by the side of the Oakham and Melton high road, a covert that inspired Mr. Bromley Davenport's spirited poem. Below, the sloping vale stretches away to the woods at Burley, the nature of the soil and the fences being all conducive to the full enjoyment of a ride to Woodwell Head, a famous starting point for many an historical gallop. On the western borders of the Cottesmore adjoins the territory of the Quorn and Mr. Fernie's, all ground that may be described as a
- Sir H. de TrafFord, The Foxhounds of England.
fox-hunter's paradise if his heart and horse are good enough. The towns of Oakham and Uppingham are handy for this side, which is somewhat hilly and picturesque. The great North road between Stam- ford and Grantham practically marks a division line of the Cottesmore country, and that lying to eastward is perhaps some of the wildest and most densely- wooded of any to be found within touch of Leicester- shire — rare training ground for hounds. The town of Stamford is on the extreme southern border adjoining the Fitzwilliam, who meet just outside at Burghley House, the seat of the Marquis of Exeter. The best centre for the Cottesmore is undoubtedly Oakham, within two miles' distance of the kennels at Ashwell, and a very favoured district around which new hunting boxes spring up every successive season. In the western Leicestershire territory a striding gal- loping horse is the best conveyance to keep the fleeting pack In view across the fine expanse of grass with untrimmed fences. A much stouter horse is the better mount for the stiff ploughs of Rutland which are to be met on the eastern side of the hunt, where the land is badly drained and boggy, the wood rides being celebrated for their depth and tenacity of mud. The four days a week on which hounds hunt are equally divided between the two sides of the country, which we have shown varies so in character and soil. A very graphic description of the Cottesmore country was given by Major Hughes-Onslow in the pages of the Badminton Magazine. Wardley Wood . . . has its rides beautifully kept, and is one of the best fox coverts in England, being drawn every alternate Saturday during the season from 20 August to 1 April. Mr. Fernie's hounds are often in it the other Saturdays, for it is a covert that carries a good scent, possessing fine trees and under- growth not very thick. Burley Wood ... is a splendid covert, larger than Wardley Wood, but it hardly carries such a scent. It is well rlded and clothes the south slopes of the hill, overlooking the vale of Catmose. Owston Wood is a huge jungle close on two miles long and half a mile broad ; it is a grand stronghold for foxes, and the wonder is it does not harbour bears and wolves in its impenetrable fastnesses with mean- dering boggy rides. Launde Wood and Priors Coppice are two splendid fox coverts of nice convenient size — sure finds — and surrounded by grand country. Perhaps the most de- lightful tracts in the whole country are those which surround Priors Coppice and Berry Gorse. It really does not matter in which direction hounds run from these famous coverts, good scenting and perfect riding country lies on all sides of them. They are quite ten miles apart, and a run from one to the other could not be improved upon, even if it could be equalled by any line of country in the world. Taking an absolute straight line from one to the other, not a ploughed field need be crossed, nor would a railway, river, or any other obstacle be met — nothing but good sound grass and fair hunting fences. Berry Gorse lies on the edge of the Burton Flats, and here the inclosures are not too large and the fences just a nice size. The historic Whissendine Brook comes into the line and is a horrible obstacle, though in places it is a nice jumD. 05 39
