232 The Hunting Countries of England. 



THE LEDBURY.* 



The Ledbury is a long narrow country containing tlie 

 Malvern Hills, and made up of small parts of ttie 

 counties of Worcester, Hereford and Grloucester — tlie 

 combination resulting in a Hunt territory that, com- 

 parison avoided, may safely be set down as quite as 

 good as any of its neighbours. For the Ledbury, if 

 in some parts hilly, and in many parts strongly 

 wooded, is not only capital ground for hounds, but 

 can show quite its share of good vale and a full 

 proportion of nice grass. 



The steep hogsback of the Malvern Hills (nearly 

 1500 feet in height) rises on its eastern edge; and the 

 traveller from the Worcester direction, issuing from 

 the tunnel that pierces it, finds himself crossing one 

 of these pleasant grass valleys. Another tunnel, and 

 he is at Ledbury Station, within earshot of the 

 Kennels. The latter, the property of the Hunt, are 

 well placed for working the country ; and contain 

 some five-and-forty couple of working hounds, belong- 

 ing to the Master. Mr. Knowles succeeded Mr. 

 Morrell five years ago ; and as that gentleman took 



* Vide Stanford's " Hunting Map," sheet 14, and Hobson's 

 Foxhunting Atlas. 



