198 The Hunting Countries of England. 



a less fashionable country than some of the others 

 which immediately surround it V The answer is to 

 be found in the fact that it cannot offer nearly such 

 pleasant riding. Whereas almost all of the Cheshire, 

 and most of Sir Watkin^s, is laid out in goodly turf 

 and well-kempt fences, the bulk of the Shropshire 

 soil is turned up by the plough — while its hedges are 

 cut down, its ditches are overgrown with bramble and 

 grass, and drainage is in many parts of the most 

 insufficient description. Thus, Shropshire territory 

 may be found deep and trappy even where it 

 approaches closest to some of the cream of Cheshire. 

 For instance, where it reaches the neighbourhood of 

 Whitchurch (as for example, about Frees) it has only 

 wet, and even boggy, ground as its share ;■ whereas on 

 other sides of the little town some of the soundest 

 and fairest grass is to be seen. Whitchurch, by the 

 way, is rapidly establishing itself as a high class 

 hunting centre — having of late years launched out 

 freely in the erection of hunting boxes and stabling, 

 and meeting with a proportionate response. 



Below this, however, comes perhaps the pick of 

 the country — the district stretching across its breadth 

 by Acton Reynold and Ercall to the North Stafford- 

 shire and Albrighton boundaries, beyond which, again, 

 a fox may travel on over some very nice country. 

 The inclosures of this tract are comparatively large ; 

 a great deal of grass has been laid down in late years ; 

 and it is decidedly good scenting ground. As above 

 noted, the hedges, which at one time were high, 

 strong, and ragged, have in most instances been cut 

 down during the last decade, till often only stumps 



