A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



times cub-hunting, and seventy-six times regu- 

 lar hunting. 



From the middle of December, 1886, until 

 almost the end of January, 1887, there was 

 continuous frost and snow ; but the Pytchley 

 had several good gallops and killed their foxes 

 on the snow. During this season fifty-one 

 and a half brace were killed 



In October, 1887, H.R.H. Prince Albert 

 Victor was staying at Althorp House, and a 

 meet was arranged there on the 20th. There 

 was only an average day's sport, but a fox was 

 killed, and Goodall took the brush and one pad 

 to Althorp in the evening and presented them 

 to the Prince. 



During Mr. Langham's tenure of office, 

 many fine runs are recorded which want of 

 space prevents us from describing. He re- 

 signed the mastership, after having hunted the 

 country for twelve years — a longer mastership 

 than any during the nineteenth century. A 

 cordial vote of thanks was given him by the 

 hunt, and, later, members and farmers presented 

 him with a portrait of himself by Hubert 

 Herkomer, which now hangs in the hall at 

 Cottesbrooke. 



In 1890 Lord Spencer for the third time 

 took the hounds, with William Goodall as 

 huntsman, John Isaac as first, and Alfred 

 Wilson as second whip. On 9 February, 

 1891, there was a good run from Hardwick 

 Wood to Althorp Park, which was duly 

 chronicled by Mr. Justice Grantham (who 

 was on circuit and hunted with Mr. R. B. 

 Loder from Maidwell Hall) in a poetical 

 letter to the noble master. 



One day at the end of November, 1892, a 

 good fox was found at Shawell Wood, and 

 went away at the top end through the gorse, 

 and then by Swinford and Catthorp to Swin- 

 ford village and covert, where they lost him. 

 The second fox was found at South Kilworth 

 Covert ; he ran towards North Kilworth and 

 back through Stanford Park, over the Rugby 

 railway towards Claycoton. Then on into 

 the Hemploe, a ring as if for Welford, and 

 back into Hemploe, and on leaving Elkington 

 on the right, by Winwick and Firetail, nearly 

 to Thornby. He ran back over the valley 

 near Guilsborough Park almost to Coton Park, 

 then back to Mr. Atterbury's house, where 

 every one was beat. Goodall said that this 

 was one of the hardest days hunting he ever had. 

 As Lord Spencer was at this time First 

 Lord of the Admiralty, Viscount Downe 

 generally acted as field master. 



On 16 December, 1893, there was a 

 record run from Hothorpe Gorse. The fox 

 first ran a ring very fast by Bosworth and to 

 ground under the Thcddingworth road. He 



was quickly bolted, and ran hard through 

 Marston Wood, and on by Farndon for 

 Market Harborough. Being headed he turned, 

 and leaving Waterloo Gorse to the left went 

 nearly to Arthingworth, on to Kelmarsh, short 

 to the right, and away by Clipston, Alford 

 Thorns, Lubbenham, and Marston Plantations 

 into Laughton Hills. Here they worked up 

 to him, and running from scent to view, raced 

 into him in the open, after a splendid run of 

 2 hours and 40 minutes, supposed to have been 

 over 25 miles of country. 



At the end of this season Lord Spencer gave 

 up the mastership. Mr. William Musgrave 

 Wroughton, who resides at Creaton Lodge, and 

 had hunted in the country since 1881, was 

 in March, 1894, elected master of the Pytchley, 

 in succession to Lord Spencer. 



It was said by good judges that the hounds 

 were never more brilliant in the field nor 

 comelier in the kennel than at this time. In 

 this year, at the Horse Show held at Althorp 

 Park, the new master, Mr. W. M. Wrough- 

 ton, presented Goodall, who had completed 

 twenty years' service as huntsman, with a tes- 

 timonial from 385 subscribers. This consisted 

 of a large sum of money and a massive silver 

 tray bearing a suitable inscription. 



Goodall in returning thanks stated that he 

 had not been kept in a single day by ill-health 

 during the thirty-one years he had hunted. 

 Will Goodall was one of the most popular 

 huntsmen who ever carried the horn with the 

 Pytchley. He never did a mean or unkind 

 thing in his life. He loved his hounds and they 

 loved him. He never deceived them ; never 

 called upon them more than was necessary ; 

 and never left covert without getting them to- 

 gether before he began to ride. He died in 

 London after a long illness, and was buried in 

 Brighton Churchyard on 2i August, 1895, 

 in the presence of a large number of Pytchley 

 men of all ranks. He was lowered into the 

 grave by his whippers-in. After the death of 

 Goodall, John Isaac was appointed huntsman, 

 having served as second and first whip for 

 twelve years. Alfred Wilson, who came as 

 second whip in 1888, was appointed first, and 

 Tom Dighton second whip. 



Mr. Wroughton's diaries, kindly placed at 

 the writer's disposal, contain particulars of the 

 sport enjoyed during his mastership. The 

 most remarkable run took place on 8 February, 

 1896, a great portion of it, however, being 

 seen by no one. The hounds met at Arthing- 

 worth ; the fox went away by Thorp Under- 

 wood to Faxton Corner, on towards Braybrooke 

 and over the Midland Railway to the Hermi- 

 tage, into Brampton Wood, and up to Dingley 

 Warren, where hounds probably changed j 



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