134 England's oldest hunt. 



Hurworth whilst I hunted them, and the nearest one to the Bilsdale 

 is Cotcliffe. I never met on the East side of the main road leading 

 from Thirsk to Stokesley with the Hurworth Hounds, as I considered 

 that the hill sides and coverts on that side belonged to the Bilsdale. 

 I have often hunted with the Bilsdale, and have always believed them 

 to be one of the oldest packs in the kingdom. They have always drawn 

 and hunted the Arncliffe, Thimbleby, and Silton Woods ; in fact, 

 practically all the Cleveland range of hills from Baysdale to White- 

 atonecliffe so long as I can remember, and I have always considered 

 the highway from Thirsk to Stokesley as denning the boundary between 

 the two hunts, as it practically lies at the foot of the aforesaid hills 

 throughout their whole length between the two places I have named. 

 I believe that this hunt has been in existence continuously for over 

 300 years, they having been established by the Duke of Buckingham, 

 who owned the Yorkshire estates now belonging to Lord Feversham. 



Robert Dawson said : — 



I met the Bilsdale for the first time at Ewe Cote, when about five 

 years old, and I have hunted regularly since then until a month ago, 

 when I had an accident to one of my hands. I am now, and have been, 

 Whip to the Bilsdale Hounds for over 60 years. The first Master of 

 the Bilsdale I can remember was Richard Tate. After him the following 

 persons were successively Masters : — George Bell, the elder; Leonard 

 £*>ng, of Broadfield ; George Bell, the younger, " Squire " Barr, 

 Nicholas Spink, Robert Garbutt, F. Wilson Horsfall, Robert Kitching, 

 and Robert Garbutt (as joint Masters), Robert Garbutt and W. Selby 

 Lowndes. The hounds have always belonged to a committee ever since 

 I can remember them, and been trencher-fed. My father, Francis 

 Dawson, was hound gatherer for the Bilsdale Hounds, and always 

 hunted with them. He was 99 years of age when he died. I have 

 heard him talk of hunting with " Hunter " Garbutt, who was a Master 

 of the Bilsdale, and lived at Boltby, about five miles to the South-east 

 of the Silton Woods, and he has told me of these woods being hunted 

 by him in his time. I have many times hunted the Silton Woods, 

 Thimbleby Woods, and Arncliffe Woods with the Bilsdale Hounds, 

 and never knew that our right to hunt there was disputed until now. 

 I used to take the hounds to the public-house at Silton the night before 

 we went to hunt Silton coverts and Spring Wood. I distinctly remem- 

 ber the first time the Hurworth Hounds hunted at Thimbleby, as Mr. 

 William Haynes asked me to stay with him at Thimbleby the night 

 before he invited them to hunt there, just after he succeeded to the 

 Thimbleby' estate. Mr. Haynes regularly hunted with the Bilsdale, 

 and many a time when we have drawn his coverts and those at Silton 

 and Arncliffe. In my time the Bilsdale Hounds have often met at 

 Swainby and Ingleby Arncliffe to draw the Arncliffe Woods, at Osmother- 

 ley and Slapestones to draw Thimbleby Woods, and at Silton to draw 



