106 



THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



Mr. Barnard. 

 1839-1856. 



Mr. Bradley. 



in this bit of description. I have already referred to the 

 prowess of Mr. Horley. Round Mr. Bradley's name 

 hangs a chain of sporting associations. He was ever 

 to the fore when a sporting movement was in progress. 

 His name was rarely absent from lists of supporters of 

 steeplechases and similar fixtures, and he frequently 

 provided his neighbours with some sport- after the 

 hare, and, I believe, occasionally the stag. At Ladbroke 

 the old fox stopped to take a little breath and 

 the check afiforded his followers an opportunity of 

 replenishing their stock of that most necessary 

 equipment for a good run. In a short time they 

 were off again, and went merrily away in full view 

 across the beautiful grass-land which lies all down 

 that side of the Warwickshire country. His line 

 lay for Mr. Alder's, of Hodnel, and then inclined a 

 little to the right and pointed for Watergall, but he 

 afterwards turned and bore away to Boddington, as 

 A good grass line, straight as a line, yet before he had reached the hill 

 he was headed short back in the direction of the 

 well-known Radbourn Gorse, skirting the end of 

 which his point appeared to be Debdale. But still 

 this was not to be reached, for before he got to 

 the Southam Turnpike he inclined to the right for 

 Napton, and on towards Shuckburgh. Before arriving 

 at this famous spot, however, the hounds all at once 

 threw up their heads and it appeared evident that 

 the game old fox had gone to ground. Here the 

 chase, therefore, ended. Reynard was now in Mr. 

 Drake's country, and so the property of that well- 

 known sportsman. Harry Taylor, the huntsman, 

 very reluctantly gave him up, for, he said, the hounds 

 deserved him. The time was three and-a-half-hours. 

 It was one of the best runs in one of the best possible 

 bits of country, many of the fences being raspers. At 

 the finish y\ere, Taylor and the first whip, Mr. H. 

 Horley, Mr. T. P. Ward, Mr. W. Brown and his 

 son. They and their horses were entertained by Mr. 

 Serjeant, of Napton. 



