20 



THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



Mr. John Corbet 

 1791-1811. 



Another run 

 from Wolford. 



The 



reputatien 

 Wolford. 



The severe na- 

 ture of the run 



In those days there were no railways, which now help 

 the hunter back to his own roof, after a few negocia- 

 tions at awkward junctions with ill-fitting branch 

 trains. The choice then between a ride of some 

 miles in the dark and taking advantage of local 

 hospitality, or quarters at the nearest hostelry, rarely 

 resulted in the first-named being selected, and a night 

 out was not at all an uncommon sequel to a good run. 



My next item is also a severe one. It also stands 

 near the one just described, too, as far as chronology 

 is concerned. It originated in the meeting place 

 that gave such a good run in 1795, viz., Wolford. 

 Two brace were afoot immediately, the place, 

 therefore, fully sustaining its reputation of being 

 always ready with the material for sport. Three of 

 them got away quickly but the hounds kept with the 

 one in the wood, which finally broke for Barton Grove. 

 He went forward for Weston and Sutton North, 

 near Compton Wyniates, Epwell, and on to Sibford, 

 fifteen miles from covert. He then turned for Brailes 

 and on to Halford Bridge, then for Idlicote and over a 

 fine country for Sutton, and on to Wichford Wood. 

 Here the hounds would have killed him but they were 

 halloed to a fresh one by a footman. Catching the 

 scent, they hunted him over a first-rate country to 

 Wolford, and were stopped by Jack Barrow, the first 

 whip, going into covert. The time was six hours. 



Here, again, I recommend my readers to the map to 

 properly appreciate the character of the run. It will 

 be seen that, as regards time, it beats the former by two 

 hours, but it must be remembered that it was the work 

 of two foxes and would, but for the interference of the 

 footmen, have ended at Wichford. The area was more 

 confined than in the Bourton run ; there was more 

 backward and forward work. Still, for severity, it 

 does not fall far behind it. Jack Barrow 

 was the only one who finished the day on the 



