SEASON 1875-76 77 



come into the landscape background of many a 

 famous run, besides being the steeple for the annual 

 hunt chases. When it was restored by the Rev. 

 Thomas Heathcote in 1875, he asked the Duke of 

 Rutland for a subscription. " Why should I sub- 

 scribe to a church that is not on my property ? " 

 asked the noble master of the Belvoir hounds. 

 " Because it is such a good landmark when your 

 hounds run," replied the fox-hunting vicar ; and the 

 Duke promptly sent 5 towards the restoration of 

 the spire. At Mr. Heathcote's death in 1883, the 

 Earl of Ancaster, patron of the living of Lenton, 

 presented it to my father the Rev. E. Bradley, 

 better known as Cuthbert Bede, author of Verdant 

 Green, and though not a follower of the chase, 

 his pen contributed many a note on hunting lore 

 and Belvoir Hunt history. Under the shadow of 

 Lenton church spire hounds met the last day of 

 the year, and started a fine fox from Heathcote's 

 covert, running a fast ring to ground by the 

 Folkingham rifle butts. The second gallop was 

 from the Little Gorse, and proved a fast forty 

 minutes over a charming hunting country, ending 

 with blood. The first point was for the Big Gorse 

 and Walcott village ; then swinging round through 

 Heathcote's covert, he went straight away past 

 Laughton to a drain below Dowesby willow-bed 

 on the edge of the fens. A terrier to bolt him 

 was procured from Mr. Tom Casswell of Pointon, 

 that well-known sportsman and distinguished 

 agriculturist, who was brought up in the South- 

 wold country, where more farmers have entered 



