SPORT ANCIENT AND 



MODERN 



HUNTING 



FOXHOUNDS 

 THE OLD BERKELEY HUNT 



I 



Old Berkeley country comprises 

 the Chiltern Hills in South Buck- 

 inghamshire together with some 

 territory in West Hertfordshire. A 

 chalky soil predominates, while large 

 beechwoods and light arable flinty fields are its 

 staple features. In the woods there is little under- 

 growth save brambles, which enables both foxes 

 and hounds to travel faster than is usual in 

 woodlands where brushwood prevails, but it 

 must be admitted that the country is a cold 

 scenting one, especially when the fresh-fallen 

 leaves lie in early winter. 



The title of the hunt is derived from the Earls 

 of Berkeley, who in the eighteenth century and 

 earlier hunted all the country between Berkeley 

 Castle in Gloucestershire and London. There 

 is no doubt that the lords of Berkeley did hunt 

 to the verge of the capital ; their Middlesex 

 residence, Cranford House, some ten miles west 

 of London, affording a convenient base for the 

 purpose. The famous huntsman, Tom Oldaker, 

 who died in 1831, aged eighty, remembered 

 hounds killing or losing a fox in the rough 

 ground in Kensington Gardens. 



The first hunt kennels in Buckinghamshire 

 whose existence is properly authenticated were 

 at Gerrards Cross, and the present Lord Fitz- 

 hardinge has an old family account-book showing 

 wages paid 'to William Hill with the hounds at 

 Gerads Cross' in 1792 ; another entry runs 

 '7 Jan. -20 March, 1793. Thos. Oldaker's 

 bills of wages board and other expenses with the 

 Whipers In (V), Helpers, Hounds, and Horses 

 at Jcrrards Cross, 200 "Js. ^d.' It is also said 

 that places were used as kennels at Marlow and 

 at Nettlebed (Oxfordshire). 



Before the close of the eighteenth century the 

 mastership passed out of the Berkeley family, and 



the hounds became a subscription pack, the old 

 yellow livery being retained. 



The Sporting Magazine of October, 1796, says, 

 ' Lord Berkeley's as were, promise much better. 

 Fourteen hundred guineas is said to be the 

 strength of the present subscription ' ; and the 

 same magazine of November, 1797, says, ' The 

 subscription pack (late Lord Berkeley's, now Lord 

 Sefton's, Sir H. Gott's, Mr. Williams' & Co.) 

 commenced their season at Bisham coverts near 

 Mr. Vansittart's ; they hunt the surrounding 

 country for 2 months to come.' Lord Sefton 

 lived at Stoke Poges, Sir H. Gott at Chalfont 

 St. Peter, Mr. Williams at Temple House, 

 Marlow. Mr. Du Pre, of Wilton Park, Bea- 

 consfield, was also a member of this committee. 

 It is recorded that these hounds used to meet 

 in Berkshire, as far off as Wokingham and Farley 

 Hill in what is now the Garth country, although 

 South Buckinghamshire and West Hertfordshire 

 formed the true territory of the hunt. 



The Sporting Magazine of 1797 contains 

 record of a ' hunting dinner ' held by the sub- 

 scribers to the Berkeley Hunt at Botham's, Salt 

 Hill, a well-known coaching inn on the Bath 

 road near Slough ; and we read that in November, 

 1806, ' The Berkeley Hounds began their season 

 with the greatest merit due to that unequalled 

 huntsman Tom Oldaker as having hunted them 

 in such superior style. They have been to covert 

 only 1 6 times in Gloucestershire, and killed, to 

 the astonishment of everyone, 21 foxes. They 

 arrive at Gerrards Cross, Bucks, their kennel, on 

 theistinst.' On 1 2 January, 1809, they 'met at 

 Cliefden and found about i.o in Great Sumlands 

 Wood.' They ran by way of Dorney Bottom, 

 Fulmer, Alderbourne, across the Misbourn, 

 through the Chalfont woods, across the Coin 

 ' to Ryslip Coppice and stopped hounds at dark.' 

 This run lasted 3^ hours ; only the huntsman 

 and his son were up at the end. Cliveden to 

 Ruislip is an I i-mile point. 



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