DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. 21 



the junction of the Trent and Derwent at Shardlow ; 

 thence to Swarkeston Bridge along the Trent ; thence to 

 Stanton village, following the road leading to Ashby-de-la- 

 Zouch as far as Pistern Hill ; thence the road to Wooden 

 Box ; and then the road to Gresley station, along Seal 

 Brook to the Mease. This river is then the boundary to 

 its junction with the Trent, which in its turn bounds 

 the country by Wichnor to Mavesyn Ridware, on to 

 Great Haywood to the river So we, which must then be 

 followed to include Ingestre, and so back to Weston 

 station. 



In Baily's Hunting Directory for 1900 it is thus 

 described — 



" The country, which lies in Derbyshire and Staflfordshire, extends some 

 twenty-two miles from north to south by thirty miles from east to west. On the 

 north it adjoins Mr. Chandos-Pole's new country,* lent him by the Meynell ; on 

 the west the North Staffordshire and Albrighton; on the south the South 

 Staffordshire and the Atherstone ; and on the east the Quorn. 



" The Meynell is for the most part a country of flying fences, and chiefly 

 consists of grass. The large woods are Bagot's Woods and Forest Banks, on the 

 Staffordshire side. There is not much wire. Where possible it is taken down, 

 and, where left up, it is marked with red boards. A well-bred, handy horse 

 that can jump water is required." 



The above is a fairly accurate description. In it you 

 have denotation, but not connotation, as logicians say. 

 It tells you what the Meynell country is, to a very 

 limited extent, but it leaves very much untold. For is it 

 not, not only " chiefly grass," but the grass-iest country in 

 England — a delectable hunting ground, where you may 

 ride all day and never cross a ploughed field, where the 

 turf is so sound that a horse is seldom distressed, and 

 where, with a bold heart under your waistcoat and a good 

 horse between your knees, you may romp over the fences 

 in the wake of hounds, and lay even money that they will 

 not get away from you ? What a country, then, must it 

 have been in the days of that first Hoar Cross Hugo 

 Meynell, before it was cut up with railways and blemished 



* A portion of the hill country near DufSeld, which has not been really hunted 

 by the Meynell for years. 



