Lord Coventry's. 101 



than sixty couple of working hounds in different good 

 Kennels. 



In the far north are two good woods^ Bow Wood 

 and Grafton Wood, which have shown much sport of 

 late years. These are neutral with The Worcester- 

 shire; that Hunt taking them one month_, and Lord 

 Coventry the next ; and both are the property of his 

 Lordship. Peopleton is a favourite meet which may 

 lead to them or to the coverts of the Kev. James 

 Cook and Mr. Acton. In the North of the country 

 the enclosures (all deep plough) are found much 

 larger, and ditches are almost invariably dug. 



On the northeast or Eidgway district, the chief of 

 the large woods are Weethley (neutral with The 

 Warwickshire), Old Yewel and Salford Coppice. 

 Very stout foxes are found in these coverts, and great 

 sport has been had from them during the last three or 

 four seasons — a point of eight or nine miles into the 

 Worcestershire country having been by no means 

 uncommon. 



The coverts of the country are generally of a very 

 manageable size ; and are almost entirely natural 

 plantation and wood — as opposed to gorse and other 

 artificial covert. There are strong woods enough for 

 all cubhunting and schooling purposes without the 

 country being in any way blocked by woodland. 

 Thus there is the chain of woods between Pershore 

 and Croome, chiefly belonging to Lord Coventry; 

 there is the wooded length of the Kidgeway, well 

 typified by Eough Hill Wood at its far end ; and there 

 are the good scenting coverts on Bredon Hill. There 

 is also good woodland at Old Hills across the Severn 



