The Atherstone, 163 



Street Road^ which passes through Atherstone and 

 Tamworth. It is full of coalpits; and its other 

 characteristics are big woods,, small enclosures^ rough 

 hairy fences, and much arable. It is altogether 

 difficult ground for hounds to run over; and is 

 certainly the least-favoured part of the Atherstone 

 country. The first large wood to notice is Birch 

 Coppice, which is on the Watling Street Road about 

 four miles from Atherstone. There are large strong 

 coverts also about Baxterley — Kingsbury Wood being 

 the chief in size and quality. The Black Swan is a 

 frequent meet for the above; and Kingsbury Wood 

 itself is often advertised. To the east of these is 

 Merevale — from whose site a beautiful view of the 

 Atherstone country is to be obtained. The coverts 

 about here are many and large, headed by Bentley 

 Park Wood — Bentley Tollbar being the ordinary 

 meet. There are more woods again leading up to 

 Oldbury Hall. Hartshill Hayes is the next large 

 wood : and near here lives Mr. R. Aiken, who, in spite 

 of deafness, has not missed a day^s cubhunting for 

 years, during the summer has devoted his whole time 

 to the care of coverts and cubs, and has done more 

 than any one else to keep the country together. 



Camphill has coverts round it — notably Haunch 

 Wood : and from here we get into a very region of 

 coalpits. Arbury (Mr. Newdigate^s) is among a 

 multitude of woods, strong and well-preserved — Cow 

 Leighs, Park Wood, North Wood, and Coventry 

 Wood, being the leading names. And these are 

 joined on the south by Lord Aylesford^s Woodlands ; 

 and Kench Grrove to Corley constitutes another great 



