1815] SQUIRE OSBALDESTOK 11 



no reply, took the silence as an insult, and challenged Sir 

 Henry to a duel. As Osbaldeston was already, though under 

 thirty, renowned as the best shot in England, Sir Henry 

 thought it prudent to apologize. The ' Squire ' accepted 

 the apology but abruptly took his hounds away." 



When it is here stated that he took his hounds into 

 Derbyshire, Staffordshire is probably meant, for it is 

 known that in January, 1816, he gave up his kennels at 

 the Flitch of Bacon (so called from a custom prevailing at 

 Wichnor, similar to that at Dunmow), and at Barton Turns, 

 abandoned the Derbyshire side, and confined his operations 

 to the district round Witherley. 



This coincided with that formerly hunted by Colonel 

 Cook, and became known as the Atherstone territory, the 

 boundaries of which have never been much altered since. 

 The part of Staffordshire included within its limits lies 

 westward of the Thame as far north as Elford and Brook 

 Hay, Black Slough being for a time a neutral covert. 



Part of the Derbyshire district, vacated by Mr. 

 Osbaldeston, was occupied by Sir Henry Crewe, who 

 became master of the Derby Subscription Hounds with 

 his kennels at Breadsall. His limit on the Sudbury side 

 was Egginton, while, eastward of that, he hunted Bretby 

 and Eepton Shrubs. 



Of the " Squire's " huge country there remained only 

 Sudbury and its neighbourhood, Needwood Forest, and 

 the parts southward of it to Black Slough. To hunt this 

 Mr. Meynell of Hoar Cross came forward, changing the 

 harriers which he had kept for some years into fox- 

 hounds. It is not clear if he kept any of the harriers, 

 but he certainly procured some of Lord Vernon's fox- 

 hounds, and some from Mr. Heron's, who hunted part of 

 Cheshire, and these latter were immediately descended 

 from Mr. Meynell' s Quorn celebrities. 



In the register at Bradley there is this entry : 

 "Baptized November 2nd, 1768, Thomas, son of William 

 Needham and Ann, his wife." No doubt the N should 

 have been L, for there was a William Leedham in Mr. 



