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CHAPTER XX. 



LONGFORD — THE HON. E. COKE — A DERBYSHIRE THURSDAY 



A DAY OF MISFORTUNES — MEETING OF THE HUNT 



LULLINGTON GORSE. 



1865-1866. 



Longford is so thorouglily Meynellian that it fairly 

 claims some slight mention. At this time Mr. Meynell 

 Ingram invariably stayed there for what was known as 

 the Derby week, usually walking over from Hoar Cross 

 on the day before the Tuesday's hunting at Kedleston. 

 Hounds were of course kenneled at Kedleston inn, and 

 always met at Kedleston on Tuesday, Radburne on 

 Thursday, and Swarkeston on Saturday, returning to 

 Hoar Cross that night. The plan, no doubt, was made 

 the occasion of hospitality and festivity, Derbyshire people 

 returning the entertainment of their Staftbrdshire friends, 

 and every one liked it. But from a hunting point of view 

 it had its drawbacks. If in that particular week — usually 

 the first in every month — there happened to be a frost, 

 then that portion of the country remained unhunted for a 

 month. Moreover, there was no reason why the same 

 thing might not happen again. As a matter of fact, it 

 never did occur, but it was just on the cards that hounds 

 might never have drawn the coverts in those parts the 

 whole season throuQ;h. However, it was the onlv thins; to be 

 done, so long as the hounds were kenneled at Hoar Cross. 

 Longford, originally called Laganford, was, in early 

 times, the seat of a family which took their name from 

 the place. Thus, as long ago as the time of Edward II., 



