48 The Hunting Countries of England. 



In former days tlie best sport was usually obtained 

 in tbe country a little to the north of York : when, 

 early and late in the season^ travelling foxes would 

 take hounds right up to the hills towards Easingwould 

 and Coxwould. But this line has not been so frequent 

 of late years. By the way_, the Olstead corner in the 

 far north should not have been included by Mr. Stan- 

 ford in the map of the York and Ainsty. During 

 Mr. Bateman^s mastership he used to draw it by 

 permission of Sir Tatton Sykes_, in the same way that 

 it jis now hunted by the Sinnington on sufferance 

 from Lord Middleton — of whose territory it is an 

 integral part. Thirkleby (sixteen or seventeen miles 

 from York) is now about the farthest meet of the 

 York and Ainsty. To reach this and other distant 

 meets north and west (and occasionally also south) the 

 railway has to be made use of for horses, hounds, and 

 men. In fact, there is probably no country in 

 England where the railway is so constantly in requi- 

 sition — a fact that alone points to much extra expense 

 to be borne by Hunt and individuals. 



All the ^^ Liberty " of Ainsty is very enclosed ground: 

 but the country opens out again a good deal as you 

 move towards Tollerton and Easingwould. Galtres 

 Forest no longer exists, though at one time a " royal 

 forest. ^^ Indeed, the Royal Hunting Box is still to 

 be seen by the roadside between York and Sutton, 

 though its estate is now only that of a lowly farm- 

 house. The Ainsty used to be held in vassalage under 

 the Bramham Moor — the terms being that it should be 

 hunted by the York and Ainsty so long as a pack 

 exists under that title. 



