MR. H. W. SELBY LOWNDES AS M.F.H. 133 



from Thirsk to Stokesley, and that such high road was practically the 

 boundary between the two hunts. The Hurworth Hunt has only been 

 established since the early part of the present century, whereas the 

 Bilsdale had been hunting the whole country from Baysdale along 

 Carlton Bank, Swainby, Arncliffe, Silton, to the White Mare at White- 

 stonecliffe, for years before that, and in Mr. Dixon's book, entitled 

 " In the North Countree," mention is made of the Bilsdale having a 

 long run from Cotcliffe Wood, near Boltby, on the 10th of April, 1821, 

 and another from Arncliffe Wood in 1840. During the lifetime of Mr. 

 Peirse, owner of the Thimbleby Estates in the early part of the present 

 century, the Bilsdale Hounds hunted there regularly, but when Mr. 

 Robert Haynes came into possession of those estates he did his utmost 

 to prevent his coverts being drawn, though it can be proved that the 

 Bilsdale hunted them during the illness to which he eventually sue 

 cumbed. As soon as Mr. William Haynes succeeded to the estates in 

 1873 he invited the Hurworth to come there to cub-hunt, and the same 

 year he also invited the Bilsdale, owing, it is said, to the fact that the 

 former had not been very successful in killing foxes there. It is only 

 quite recently, in fact, since Mr. Head became the tenant of Arncliffe 

 Hall, that the Hurworth ever hunted there, and it was only during the 

 past season that they claimed the Thimbleby and Silton coverts as 

 their country. Some 70 years ago, the Master of the Bilsdale, " Hunter ' 

 Garbutt, lived at Boltby, which is quite close to Silton, and he regularly 

 drew the Silton Woods, Spring Wood, and Thimbeleby coverts. The 

 highway from Thirsk to Stokesley lies at the foot of the range of Cleve- 

 land Hills on the Western sides of which are the Broughton, Dromonby, 

 Busby, Carlton, Faceby, Swainby, Arncliffe, Thimbleby, Silton, Kep- 

 wick, Cowesby, and Boltby coverts, practically in a continuous line, 

 and of these the Hurworth Hunt are now desirous of claiming those of 

 Arncliffe, Thimbleby, and Silton, and so breaking into the middle of 

 such line. The Bilsdale have met regularly at Broughton, Busby, 

 Carlton, Faceby, Swainby, Osmotherley, Silton, Upsall, and Boltby, 

 which are either on the sides or just at the foot of the aforesaid range 

 of hills, and the obvious boundary as has always been accepted until 

 quite recently by both the Bilsdale and Hurworth Hunts is the highway 

 above referred to. 



Mr. Thomas Parrington's evidence ran as follows : — 



I am 79 years of age, I hunted the Hurworth Hounds during 

 the years 1860 to 1864, and was Master of the Sinnington Hounds for 

 five years. I know thoroughly well the whole of the district hunted by 

 the Bilsdale, Cleveland, Hurworth and Sinnington Hounds. The 

 ordnance plan shown to me and signed by me whilst hunting the 

 Hurworth is one which I lent to Mr. Forbes, the present Master of those 

 hounds. I believe that he gave this plan to my brother, Mr. Leonard 

 Parrington. Upon it I had marked in blue the various meets of the 



