116 The Hunting Countries of England. 



against tlie full vigour of tlie cliase within wliat miglit 

 indeed be a cliarmed circle. As London grows 

 farther westward_, the land it nears becomes daily 

 more and more valuable ; and more and more do the 

 occupants begrudge any damage that might accrue to 

 the remaining acres of their rich pasturage. The soil 

 being a deep clay, the passage of horses is, when the 

 ground is wet, not only an eyesore, but an almost 

 ineradicable source of mortification to those who hold 

 the land. It is difficult to see how tangible harm can 

 be done by galloping over grass, however wet ; for 

 what nature will not do in the way of " welling up '^ 

 the footprints, a roller should easily put to rights in 

 good time for the scythe — while as for the passage 

 of a field [oi horses availing to destroy grass, the 

 " poaching '^ of four times the number of hoofs likely 

 to accompany the Old Berkeley could not do it, 

 except by trampling ever on the same spot. However, 

 the fact remains that, as soon as the Harrow Vale be- 

 comes deep, it is forthwith almost forbidden ground. 



No less than three lines of railway will land you in 

 the Old Berkeley country, viz., the Midland, the 

 London-and-North- Western, and the Great Western ; 

 and your journey by either will not amount to an 

 hour. The Midland is nowadays of use for but few 

 meets — Newberries being one of them, and close to 

 Kadlett Station. In former days this was a rendezvous 

 very highly thought of ; and many and oft were the 

 good gallops from Newberries Gorse over the grass 

 to Mimms Wood and Scratch Wood (near Elstree). 

 The latter covert is within eight miles, as the crow 

 flies, from Hyde Park Corner. But of late years 



