A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



Churchyard. George Carter was then ap- 

 pointed huntsman. He was very keen and 

 understood both foxes and hounds. Indeed 

 these hounds at this time perhaps reached their 

 highest state of perfection. They were wonder- 

 fully courageous, with plenty of drive and not 

 a little devil in them. It has been well said 

 that they derived their characters from their 

 huntsmen — the wild waywardness of Will 

 Dean, the boldness of Tom Sebright, and the 

 hard-bitten downrightness of George Carter, 

 gave these hounds their terrible determination. 



During the week ending 14 December, 

 1 861, the Fitzwillliam enjoyed excellent sport. 

 This was Carter's first year as huntsman, and 

 naturally his proceedings were watched with 

 much interest. The best day appears to have 

 been on Saturday, 14 December, when they 

 met at Barnwell Wold. A fox was found at 

 once, and going away towards Salome Wood, 

 was killed near Connington House after a run 

 lasting an hour and a quarter ; and it is 

 said that Carter's ' Whoo-whoop ! ' might have 

 been heard at Huntingdon town. In the 

 spring of 1865 the master, the Hon. George 

 Wentworth Fitzwilliam, announced that he 

 would no longer maintain the pack entirely at 

 his own expense. A meeting was accordingly 

 held, and it was arranged that the county 

 should raise a subscription of ^^2,000 towards 

 the expenses. About this time the Hon. 

 Charles Wentworth Fitzwilliam took over the 

 management of the hounds for about three 

 seasons, after which they reverted to Mr. G. W. 

 Fitzwilliam. Between i860 and 1875 the 

 Prince of Wales, now our king, paid two 

 visits to the Fitzwilliam country. On the 

 second occasion the prince saw a very fast run 

 from Titchmarsh Warren to Lilford, and then 

 straight back, still at a great pace, by Thorpe 

 Station towards Titchmarsh. The prince was 

 galloping up to cross the railway, when the 

 gate-keeper slammed the gate to in his face, 

 replying to his expostulations, in anything but 

 courtly language, that he would let no one 

 else over until the train had gone by. 



Mr. George W. Fitzwilliam, who was a 

 good sportsman and fine judge of hounds, died 

 on 4 March, 1874 ; his brother, Mr. Charles 

 Wentworth Fitzwilliam took his place as 

 master. 



In 1877 the Marquis of Huntly took over 

 the management of the hounds, but only 

 remained in office for three years. On 

 II March, 1880, hounds met at Walcot 

 Park ; and, after drawing several coverts 

 blank, found an outlying fox near Nunton, 

 ran him nearly to Etton, then back through 

 the meadows by Lolham Bridges over the 

 Welland, by the side of the Great Northern 



Railway, past Casewick to Shillingthorpe 

 Woods. The fox, however, escaped after 

 an excellent and very fast run. 



In 1880 the Hon. Thomas Wentworth 

 Fitzwilliam became master. Next year on 

 25 November the meet was at Barnwell Castle, 

 and a very good run ensued, though the rain 

 fell heavily all day. On 28 November, 1 88 1, 

 the meet was at Barnwell Castle, the day be- 

 ing again very wet. A fox was found in Kings- 

 thorpe Coppice, and hunted by Ashton Wold, 

 Papley Spinney, Ashpole Spinney, Warming- 

 ton, Elton, up to Fablings Lodge at Fothering- 

 hay, where he was lost, after a very good 

 run. There was another fair run in the after- 

 noon. On 27 January, 1887, there was a 

 Lawn Meet at the kennels on the occasion 

 of the coming of age of Mr. George Charles 

 Wentworth Fitzwilliam, who then took the 

 hounds, but retired at the end of the season. 

 On Easter Monday, 1888, hounds met at 

 Blatherwycke ; a fox was first found near 

 Morehay Lawn, and killed at Deen after a 

 very fast twenty minutes ; a second fox was 

 found in Long Wood and lost after a short 

 run ; a third fox was found in Woodnewton 

 Spinney, and ran very hard to Blatherwycke, 

 where he was suddenly lost ; altogether a rare 

 day's sport. 



The same year Mr. Henry Wickham be- 

 came master with Fred Payne as huntsman. 

 Carter having retired. Will Barnard as first 

 and John Olding as second whipper-in. Mr. 

 Joshua Fielden became master and hunts- 

 man in 1892. Three years later Mr. G. C. 

 Wentworth Fitzwilliam again took the mas- 

 tership, Mr. C. B. E. Wright acting as deputy 

 master and huntsman. Mr. C. B. E. Wright's 

 arrangement with the Fitzwilliam terminating 

 in May, 1901, it was arranged that a sub- 

 scription of jf 2,000 should be raised ; Mr. 

 Fitzwilliam thereupon consented to keep on 

 the hounds, and still retains office. 



We are indebted to Mr. G. C. W. Fitz- 

 william, Mr. A Perceval, and Mr. J. A. 

 Perceval for the many particulars connected 

 with this hunt. 



The Fitzwilliam is a fine sporting country ; 

 bounded on the north by the Cottesmore ; 

 from Stamford to Huntingdon by the Fen 

 country ; then by the Cambridgeshire and 

 Oakley nearly to Higham Ferrers ; by the 

 Woodland Pytchley to Oundle, and then 

 across to the Welland. Many years ago the 

 Fitzwilliam used to meet regularly at Bulwick, 

 but this is believed to have been by permission 

 of the Pytchley. Wakerley Wood and 

 Wakerley Oaks near Laxton are neutral with 

 the Cottesmore. The Woodland Pytchley 

 as well as the Fitzwilliam meet at Laxton, 



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