236 WILD WHITE CATTLE. 



close of the last century there was a herd of white 

 wild cattle here, the property of the Duke of Queens- 

 berry. Its origin is unknown, but it appears to have 

 been of some antiquity. Pennant (who went to see 

 these cattle) and Bewick, who has noticed them, 

 describe them as white with black ears. According 

 to Mr. Hindmarsh, who derived his information from 

 the clergyman of the place, " they were driven away 

 about 1780 " by the fourth and last Duke of Queens- 

 berry. Other writers besides those named have 

 identified the animals in this herd with " the wild 

 Caledonian cattle." 



EWELME PARK, OXFORDSHIRE, formerly belonging 

 to the De la Poles, Dukes of Suffolk, once contained 

 a herd of wild cattle. In 1536 Edward Ashfield was 

 appointed by Henry VIII. "keeper of the Park of 

 Ewelme and master of the wild leasts there. In 

 1 606 Lord William Knollys was keeper of the park 

 and master of the wild beasts in the same" for 

 James I. That the term of "wild beasts " referred 

 to wild cattle, and not to any of the other wild 

 animals which James I. delighteth to keep, is shown 

 by a reference to the hay which was provided for 

 them, which occurs in the conveyance of the park by 

 Charles I. to Sir Christopher Nevil and Sir Edmund 

 Sawyer in 1627.* 



GISBURNE PARK, YORKSHIRE, the seat of Lord 

 Bibblesdale, is situated in the district of Craven, in 

 the West Hiding. It once formed part of Gisburne 



* Napier's "Historical Notices of Swyncombe and Ewelme,'' 1838, 

 pp. 204, 207, 212, 217 ; Shirley, " English Deer Parks," p. 137. 



