CHAPTER VI 



THE TEDWORTH HUNT 



The history of the Tedworth Country is in- 

 separable from the name of Thomas Assheton 

 Smith, who founded the Hunt and was Master 

 from 1826 until he died in 1858. That celebrated 

 sportsman, after a famous career from 1806 to 

 1824 3-S Master of the Quorn and Burton, re- 

 turned to Hampshire to form a local hunt in 

 his county, and to pass an old age in a country 

 where he could still gallop after his own hounds. 



Most of the Tedworth Country is composed 

 of downs and light wold land, with but little 

 fencing, which stretches for miles and miles ; 

 but there is a narrow strip on the north-west 

 corner called the Pewsey Vale, while on the north 

 there is an immense tract of lowlands which 

 includes Savernake Forest. There are extensive 

 woodlands towards the east, and on the south 

 side a wild district surrounding the Danebury 

 training-ground. What a difficult game to play 

 Mr. T. A. Smith must have had when he first 

 started with some draft hounds from Sir Richard 

 Sutton, with which he commenced at Penton 



