58 The Sedgefield Country 



commenced, and with the exception of a covert and poultry 

 fund Sir William defrayed all expenses connected with the 

 hunting of the country out of his own pocket. During the 

 season of 1879-80 the covert and poultry fund amounted to 

 £615 Os. 6d., and in the following season it fell to £547 3s. 6d., 

 one or two subscribers who lived outside the country having 

 given notice of withdrawal the previous year. 



The season of 1879-80, the first of Sir WiUiam Eden's 

 hounds, was an excellent one in many ways, as will be 

 gathered from Bevans' account of several of the best days' 

 sport later on. Three consecutive good days might be added, 

 namely, March 19th, when the meet was Redmarshall, and a 

 twenty-eight minutes ring from Oxeye to ground, in a rabbit 

 hole, in Sandylees was "of the best"; this was followed by 

 ninety minutes from Viewly Hall, over the Elton and 

 Foxhill country ; on the 22nd March, the East country 

 provided fine sport from " good old Jordison's " Moors ; the 

 fox pointed for Greatham, but was headed at Claxton Grange, 

 and worked his way along the burn side to Close Wood, 

 Newton Hansard, Whin House belt. Ten O'clock Barn, 

 Lumpley and Humbleknowle plantation, where he was killed 

 handsomely in the open after a really good ninety-five 

 minutes. On March 24th we were in the West country, 

 and again a good thing came off. After killing an old fox 

 (that had been ousted from Middridge whin) at Windlestone, 

 and drawing a lot of afternoon country blank, hounds found at 

 Sprucely at 3-30, and ran gaily through Hardwick past 

 Sands Hall and Bog Hall to Shotton whin, where reynard 

 doubled back for Bog Hall whin, and then on to Neseless 

 and Homer Carr, pursuit being abandoned at Watt's plan- 

 tation as it was found that he had crossed the road into 

 Layton Lings, and it was getting late. Time of run, just 

 over an hour. 



