HADDON. 339 



and the river Tone near Chipstable. These are 

 much frequented by the deer as they contain a vast 

 amount of thick bracken, most favourite covert for 

 stags and most difficult to dislodge them from. All 

 these woods are, however, subsidiary to Haddon, and 

 deer found in them, in nine cases out of ten, betake 

 themselves to Haddon before going away elsewhere. 

 So much is the deep Haddeo Valley the headquarters 

 of this side of the country, that it is probable that 

 most of the deer in the Huntsham and Stoodley 

 coverts, far down the Exe Valley, spend some portion 

 of every year at Haddon. 



Every part of these coverts has its own special 

 name, but there are only two of interest. The drive 

 which extends the whole length of the valley is called 

 Lady Harriet's Drive, to commemorate the heroism 

 and sufferings of Lady Harriet Acland in nursing 

 and rescuing her husband. Colonel Acland, who was 

 sick and a prisoner in the hands of the French 

 during the war in America. 



The other name is " Lousy Gate," which is a place 

 on the high road close to the upper lodge gate of 

 Baronsdown. It had been known from time 

 immemorial as " Lousy Gate," frequently pronounced 

 Loosy, but the name was an offence to some of the 

 ultra-refined, and it was suggested that it must have 

 been intended for " Lucy." This was improved upon 

 by some really clever person, who, seeing there was 

 a Lady Harriet's Drive, jumped to the conclusion 

 that Lousy Gate must be a corruption of " Lady 



Z 2 



