140 Hunting Countries of England. 



From Stanford Hall to Misterton, and from Stanford 

 Hall to tlie Hemplows, or vice versa in either case, 

 will take you over a grass line fit for a king — if that 

 king be but well minded and well mounted. 



Crick Village is tkeir most celebrated meet^ and has 

 one of their best coverts attached. From it they 

 either run over the cream of the Warwickshire ground 

 (possibly over what was so long the site of the old 

 Grand Military Steeplechases), over the double-ditched 

 fences to Lilbourne, perhaps by Claycoton to Stanford 

 or (it must be) a good line anywhere. Misterton is 

 their northernmost fixture, with a gorse belonging to 

 the Hunt, an osier bed, many plantations, and Shawell 

 Wood held by the occupier of Misterton Hall — and 

 all held staunchly in the cause of foxhunting. But, 

 indeed, it may be asserted fearlessly that no country 

 is more heartily preserved than the Pytchley — and 

 the Wednesday portion is as good as any. Land- 

 owner, tenant, shepherd and labourer, strive with one 

 accord to further sport ; and foxes, accordingly, are to 

 be found wherever they are sought. 



North Kilworth is another excellent Wednesday 

 meet on the upper margin of the country. Hounds 

 when brought thither (as also to Stanford Hall 

 and Lilbourne) sleep out. Usually they work 

 towards home in the afternoon ; but often they have 

 a very long jog back to Kennels on a Wednesday 

 evening. Kilworth Sticks is a famous covert — with a 

 run to be mapped out on every side. Northward it 

 has the prettiest part of Mr. Tailby^s country, west- 

 ward there is a nice line to Misterton ; southward 

 there is every chance of a superb twenty minutes to 



