SPORTING # RURAL RECORDS 



CHEVELEY ESTATE. 



As early as the Anglo-Saxon era Cheveley (with its adjoining Cheveley. 

 manors) was closely associated with royalty, the successive owners Ano-Io-Saxon 

 being invariably conspicuously identified with chivalry and sport, Period, 



and prominent patrons of our national pastimes. Thus at the 

 beginning of the tenth century we find this famous sporting 

 estate in the possession of Athelstan, who is usually styled by 

 historians " the first King of England." When this King's aunt 

 espoused Adulf, son of the Count of Flanders, the nuptial 

 presents included 300 beautiful horses {Eqiios cursor es pliiriinos), 

 with rich caparisons, the sword of Constantine the Great, 

 and the conquering lance of Charlemagne. What became 

 of those weapons has not been recorded, but a tradition 

 prevails that the happy bride retained a draft of the beautiful 

 coursers, and gave the rest to King Athelstan, who carefully 

 preserved them and perpetuated the breed on this estate. The 

 property was successively in the possession of Queen ^Elfled, 

 King Edward the Confessor, and Canute the Great, King of 

 Denmark (who also ruled over five other kingdoms), while — as 

 we shall subsequently have occasion to record — it is a singular 

 coincidence that after the lapse of many centuries two other 

 Kings of Denmark were at Cheveley in the years 1614 and 1768. 



B 



