114 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. 



Calke ; occasionally Lords Vernon and Scarsdale, Captain 

 Tennant, of Needwood ; Mr. Gisborne, of Yoxall ; Sir W. 

 Fitz Herbert, of Tissington, from Somersal ; Lord Shrews- 

 bury, Hon. E. Coke, of Longford; Colonel Newdigate, 

 William Cox, of Brailsford ; Harrison, of Snelston ; Broad- 

 hurst, of Foston ; Buncombe, of Calwich ; Colonel Levett, 

 Lords Berkeley and Alexander Paget, from Beaudesert ; 

 Bird, from Barton ; C. Clay, living at Foremark ; Walter 

 Lyon, of Silver Hill, who was killed by a fall from his 

 horse close to his own gate, and G. Mitchell. The sport 

 on this side of the country was always good — wild foxes 

 and good points the rule. From Drakelowe to Seal Wood, 

 up the narrow valley, all grass, was a common line. I 

 remember their running it such a pace one day, Lord 

 Stanhope, Sir Matthew Blakiston, and Walter Boden, on 

 Grayling, leading, and all the horses dead beat. Catton, 

 too, was excellently preserved. One note of Tom's horn 

 and a wild fox was away and over the Atherstone border. 

 Colvile's Gorse, on the boundary line, was a favourite 

 meet, bringing hard-riding men from the Atherstone to 

 show us the road into their country, as Lullington foxes 

 usually crossed the Mease and made that way. From 

 Bretby they generally went for Foremark, and occasionally 

 thence to Donington Park, close by the Trent. The 

 meet at Bretby would bring Quornites, and Jack Story, 

 father and son, were always out. My first impressions of 

 riding men were that Lord Stanhope, very quick at a start, 

 was, especially on Betsy Baker, as good a man as one 

 often sees. But he was a very jealous rider, and would 

 drop out of a run into a road, and give it up if people 

 passed him. So long as he was going in front there was 

 no one better, but if he was once collared he would shut 

 up and take no further interest. My recollection of the 

 Meynell field in those days is that it was a very well- 

 conducted one, and not over large. Of the heavy weights, 

 I should say Walter Boden was the best, and Dick Fitz- 

 Herbert and Berkeley Paget of the lighter men, with 

 Bird, perhaps, as good as any of the others. As to the 



