CHAPTER XIII 



A DAY WITH MR E. A. V. STANLEY AND THE 

 WOODLAND PYTCHLEY 



Record prices of hounds made by the masters of the Woodland Pytchley — 

 Mr E. A. V. Stanley's beautiful pack — The Woodland Pytchley county 

 described by " Brooksby " — The kennel lists of 191 1, and extensive 

 purchases at noted sales — The record price for a litter of hounds made 

 by Mr Frank Bibby — Radiant, Remedy, Revel, and Rompish (1908) — 

 Belvoir blood — A valuable collection of bitches — A motor drive through 

 the Woodland Pytchley country — A meet of hounds at Carlton Hall, 

 and a hunt in the Woodland country towards Market Harborough — 

 The Manor House at Brigstock and its trophies — The Point to Point 

 Races, April 191 1 — List of those there, the luncheon to 900, and the 

 master's speech. 



" But the gorse is bending and shaking ; bracken, and brush, and fern. 

 Are torn and riven asunder by muzzle and waving stern, 

 As Reynard within eludes them by many a wary turn. 

 It's getting too hot to hold him, the covert rings with the cry 

 Of that glorious Pytchley chorus, that maddening melody. 

 As twenty couples of ' ladies ' proclaim that this fox shall die." 



— Mr Harry Cumberland Bentley, 

 Member of the Pytchley Hunt. 



Many notable hounds have occupied the benches 

 of the Woodland, or North Pytchley kennel, since 

 its establishment in the village of Brigstock, Nor- 

 thamptonshire ; after a certain portion of woodland 

 country was lent by the Pytchley Hunt in 1874. 

 During the masterships of Mr G. L. Watson, Lord 

 Spencer, and Capt. Pennell Elmhirst ; covering a 

 period up to 1881, the hounds belonged to the 

 Pytchley hunt ; but since that time each successive 

 master has provided his own pack to hunt the 

 country. When the present Lord Lonsdale held 

 the mastership of the Woodland Pytchley between 



1 88 1 and 1885, he purchased the Blankney pack from 



189 



