The Grove. Ill 



Maltby Ridings is a splendid wood of Lord Scar- 

 borough's, with great firm grass rides through it 

 along which a carriage may be driven — every ride 

 meeting at a common centre, whence each quarter of 

 the wood can be seen. Stainton Village is a fixture 

 for another strong wood of Lord Scarborough's 

 adjoining — a beautiful covert, always full of foxes. 

 Tickhall Spittal or Hesley Hall (Mr. Whitaker's), 

 are for Hunster Wood, Martin Beck, and Swinnow 

 Wood — also nice coverts. Rossington (Mr. Streat- 

 field's) has the Low Woods on the border of the car ; 

 and North Carlton is for Walling Wells (the estate of 

 Sir Thomas White and famous for foxes), and for the 

 Firbeck coverts. 



Thursday is as a rule devoted to the south-west or 

 Derbyshire country ; to which hounds are often taken 

 by train : and which is also a limestone soil of toler- 

 ably light consistency. It has, however, more grass 

 than the centre of the country and carries a better 

 scent. As with the rest of The Grove, the more wet 

 the stronger the scent, is here the rule. Indeed, the 

 more mud your horse splashes about, the more likely 

 are hounds to run. The fences hereabouts are mostly 

 fair hedge-and-ditch; enclosures of medium size, and 

 the grass is generally rough and course. Coalpits are 

 worked all down the border — about Aston, Harthill, 

 Clown, &c. Aston Hall (Mr. Yerelst's) is a very 

 favourite meet, to draw Brampton Gorse and Nicker 

 Wood. A gallop from Aston across to Laughton Le 

 Morthern is a frequent and pleasant occurrence, and 

 takes them over a very sporting vale and a good deal 

 of grass. Laughton, standing on a hill, is a promi- 



