414 The Hunting Countries of England. 



THE OAKLEY.* 



Feom Bedford to Wellingboro', and from Kimbolton 

 to Newport Pagnell, Bletchley, and Leighton Buzzard^ 

 gives an approximate idea of the extent of the Oakley 

 country, as at present hunted. A large strip along 

 the southern border has long been on loan to the 

 WhaddonChase;,the Hertfordshire and the Cambridge- 

 shire, and the greater part of this has recently been 

 reclaimed. Thus, though Mr. Stanford's map was 

 practically correct at the time it was coloured in, it by 

 no means shows either what is the range of Oakley 

 territory, nor the boundaries to which the Oakley 

 limit themselves at the present day. Briefly, then, 

 they now hunt down to their limits at Bletchley_, 

 Leighton, and Toddington, but still lend Silsoe and 

 Chicksands to the Hertfordshire, Northill etcetera to 

 the Cambridgeshire, and Southill to both packs. 

 This renewal of their right of country became neces- 

 sary on the alteration in the management of the Hunt, 

 as arranged four years ago. Mr. Robert Arkwright, 

 who had for six and twenty years so ably carried on 

 the Hunt, wielded the horn so successfully, and 



* Vide Stauford's " Hunting Map," Sheet 16, and Hobson's 

 Poxlmutiug Atlas. 



