26 England's oldest hunt. 



Mr. W. S. Dixon, in " The North Countree," also refers 

 to the stone, and says : — 



About two miles from Chop Gate, a public-house with a black- 

 smith's shop and two or three cottages to bear it company, is Bucking- 

 ham's Stone, where tradition tells us that a fox was killed at the end 

 of a severe run of some three hours' duration. The Duke, and Forster, 

 his huntsman, were the only two who got to the end, and the Duke's 

 horse died on the place, while Forster's succumbed at Slapewath, 

 about a couple of miles on the homeward road. " T' lord" (Lord 

 Feversham), said Bobby Dowson (sic Dawson), who has whipped in to 

 the Bilsdale for fifty years, " owt to be prouder o' that steean than 

 o' all his possessions " ; and then, after a few moments' thought he 

 added, " Ah should." 



The opinions of the other " old school " of sportsmen 

 quite coincided with those of " Bobbie," and when first I 

 commenced to write anything about Bilsdale-hunting 

 characters — since which, alas ! they have nearly all gone 

 the way of all flesh — old George Bell said to me : — 

 " When you're gahin ta paper owt (i.e., write anything), whatever ya 

 deea dean't furgit Buckingham's Steean." 



The stone is situated in Tarn Hole— a small valley about 

 three miles east of Chop Gate, down which a stream of very 

 black water runs, draining the moor, and joining another 

 small stream, which flows down another small valley, amid 

 the most rugged moorland scenery. Eventually, they both 

 form what is known as Black Beck, which flows into the 

 River Seph, or Seth, about half-a-mile above Fangdale 

 Beck. Poor old " Bobbie " Dawson took a great interest 

 in it, as he did in everything appertaining to His Grace or 

 his memory. He once expressed to the Earl of Feversham 

 what he had said to Mr. Dixon, " he owt ta think mair on 

 it than owt he hez on his estate," adding, " Ah s'u'd ! " 



Mr. Robert Garbutt, of Seive Green, Bilsdale, who has 

 supplied me with so much interesting information regarding 

 the dale, and to whom I here acknowledge my indebtedness, 

 says : — 



To the general inhabitants of Bilsdale the story is of comparatively 

 of no note, it being too near home, 80 per cent. I should think have never 

 seen it. The old hunters, who know this wild region as a stronghold of 

 the fox, know it well. 



