24o 



NATURAL HISTORY OF SUNNINGHILL 



BY O. S. HOUND, ESQ. 

 ( Continued from page 222.) 



Chapteu VI. 



Of a manly and active character, King George the Third was not only 

 fond of military matters, but took likewise a lively interest in the sports 

 of the field, particularly hunting; and the pack of buck-hounds, before 

 mentioned, were therefore kept in superior order. The open nature of the 

 country peculiarly fitted it for such sports, as indeed it is in such regions that 

 the red deer are found in a wild state in Scotland and Ireland. The 

 broken nature of the ground, however, made riding difficult and hazardous, 

 and hence a large number of soldiers, otherwise unemployed, were engaged 

 in intersecting with roads the whole of this sterile region, including the 

 parishes of Sunninghill, East Hampstead, Windlcsham, Chobhara, and 

 Winkfield. These crossed the country in every direction, forming stars of 

 junction on King's Beech Hill, Bol-ridge and other eminences, the latter 

 having an obelisk on its summit, commemorating the event, with this 

 inscription : — 



In bello dormientes, 



In pace laborantes; 



Otiuni fugimus. 



This memento has long ceased to exist, falling a prey to ruthless 

 hands rather than the ravages of time. These rides were as wide as a 

 turnpike road, perfectly straight, turfed, and accommodated with arches to 

 carry off the water; and one is now known as the Nine Mile Ride, as it 

 runs to that extent. But these works, although forming field roads in 

 some instanees, are now scarcely traceable, and will soon become things 

 of the past. The breed of hounds employed were of the heavy and slow 

 kind, in fact large stag-hounds; but this cea3ed with the death of Earl 

 Cornwallis, about the year 1825-6, when fox-hounds were substituted, 

 which, from the strength of the scent of the stag were enabled to run 

 breast-high, and consequently went at such a pace that it was found 

 necessary to have horses of the fleetest kind, to be able, in sporting 

 phrase, to live with them, and the riding has ever since been very severe, 

 and the runs, except in spring, necessarily short. Thus did Bagshot 

 Heath and §unninghill Waste become alternately — first the scene of the 

 conflict between our wild ancestors and their invaders, a wilderness, a 

 battle-field, a highway, and a hunting-ground. 



It may be as well in this place to refer more particularly to the herbage 

 which was and is found on this tract. There are only the three usual 



VOL. VIII. 2 K 



