The Bicester and Warden Hill Hunt. 187 



its base, the Whaddon Chase (better known as Mr. 

 Selby Lowndes^) touch its eastern flank, and the Duke 

 of Grafton's pinch it into a neck on the north east. 

 Above this it has an attenuated existence between the 

 Warwickshire and the Duke, till it reaches the 

 Pytchley at Badby. The river Cherwell on the east, 

 where it runs from Banbury to Oxford, is one of the 

 few natural boundaries that give any excuse for the 

 configuration of the country. Above Banbury, on the 

 same side, the high road pointing to Coventry is 

 accepted as the march, till we get north of Fenny 

 Compton. For its other boundaries it is, in the 

 absence of any noticeable landmarks, sujBQcient to say 

 that Mr. Stanford's colouring has been laid on 

 correctly, according to the outline accepted by the 

 Hunt. The natives complain that at certain periods 

 in recent history they have suffered some loss of 

 territory, both in the far north and in the extreme 

 south. For, until late years the Bicester used to hunt 

 right up to Shuckburgh and Ladbrooke, where the 

 Warwickshire now reign supreme; while on the south 

 they held more of the Oxford woodlands, and even 

 dipped below the river Thame as far as Ricot. At 

 that time the country required no less than three sets of 

 Kennels, to allow of its whole length (some forty miles) 

 being properly worked. Thus, the main Kennels were 

 at Bainton, there were rougher lodgings for hounds at 

 Rycote in the far south, and Chipping Warden in the 

 north. At the present day the main Kennels are at 

 Strafcton Audley, the southern ones have been abolished 

 as unnecessary ; and Thorpe Mandeville has been 

 chosen to take the place of Chipping Warden. For 



