252 England's oldest hunt. 



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In December some good sport was enjoyed from Normanby, 

 Skiplam, Sproxton, Riccal Bridge, and Tylass Bridge. The latter 

 fixture, on December 31, 1895, is thus recorded : — Fifteen half couples ; 

 10-30 a.m. ; very foggy day. Drew Muscoates Whin, Harome Whin, 

 Sugar Hill and Welburn Plantations blank. Northolme Spiunies also 

 blank. Found in Skiplam Plain, and ran as hard as they could race 

 over the moor, past School-house Hill, and clean away from us in the 

 fog in the direction of Hawnby and Bilsdale. We never saw hounds 

 again, but they came back one by one th.e next day. We heard after- 

 wards that they turned to the right in Bilsdale and ran through Birch 

 W T ood, and had their fox beaten and crawling about in stackyard at 

 Brecken Hill (where, by-the-way, Bobbie Dawson resided), but, un- 

 fortunately, there were people about, who shouted and hallooed, and 

 made hounds lose him. Anyhow, they could not do any more after 

 they got into the stackyard. Distance as crow flies, Weathercote to 

 Birch Wood 5 miles, Birch Wood to Brecken Hill 3 miles. 



Dec. 4th, 1896.— A third blank day at Kilburn. 



Jan. 18. — Met at Oswaldkirk Hall, drew the Hagg blank, and also 

 a spinney near Ampleforth College. Just as T was going on to another 

 spinney, a fox was put tip in the rough grass field adjoining the first 

 spinney, ran him through the Hagg, he was run by a shepherd's dog, 

 but I got hounds on the line in Grange Whin, and they ran through 

 Grange Wood and by the bottom of Mason Gill into Duncombe Park, 

 they ran him into the Terrace Wood, and pushing him out into the 

 grass field below, killed him by the river ; 48 minutes. We were 

 refreshed at Duncombe Park. ... I gave Lord Helmsley, who was 

 out, the head. Very satisfactory day. 



February 1st. — Meeting at Cold Cam ; a fox was found in Dun- 

 combe Park, after Wass Woods and Scawton Woods were drawn blank. 

 They ran with a great cry, and were lost for some time — a very easy 

 matter in this country. When they were found they were running in 

 all directions, though " not the deer, which was very satisfactory," 

 adds the M.F.H. 



February 27. — Point -to-Point Steeple- chases ; Normanbj 7 Lane 

 End to Great Barugh Hill and back to Grayson's Field, under Rise- 

 borough Hill, about 3£ miles. 



Alfred Pearson 1 



R. Buhner 2 



M. Kendall 3 



There were 18 starters out of 24 entries. 



Saturday, March 14. — " Had out 3| couples of dog hounds from 

 Blankney ; very pleased with them." 



April 2. — Mrs. S. rode Blackberry and I Friendly to Fryup Plain 

 to meet the Cleveland Hounds. Saw them find a fox and run well 

 for about an hour, when we came away, as they were running away 



