278 The Hunting Countries of England. 



reach the Heythrop or Lord Coventry. The Duke of 

 Beaufort, again, is generally on the Cheltenham side 

 of his territory on a Monday or Wednesday. Thus, 

 if we add that the Worcestershire and the Ledbury 

 are easily to be visited by train, it may be said that a 

 Cheltenham man has choice of no less than nine packs. 



It is stated above that the Cotswold country is 

 almost entirely hill. The exception, however, lies 

 in the little strip of lowland running northward of 

 the Kennels, and known as the Cleeve, or Uckington, 

 Yale. The coverts here are small ; and a fox found in 

 them will almost invariably set his head straight for 

 the hills — at most a quick twenty minutes away. But 

 should he by chance point for Tewkesbury Park, and 

 run the length of the vale, the rider will be called 

 upon to cross a country that will test the experience 

 both of himself and his mount. A certain amount of 

 grass is spread here and there ; but, whether amid 

 meadows or arable, the fences are as stiff as they are 

 varied. He may be called upon to fly one, and have 

 to pull up and creep the next. Stretching across the 

 vale is the Treddington Brook, a fair level piece of 

 water that leads to many a ducking. 



At meets near the town of Cheltenham the Cotswold 

 field is, as may be imagined, a large one. On the 

 special occasion of the Queen Wood meet, which Mr. 

 Sumner gives, as a matter of yearly custom, on the 

 day following Christmas Day, not only is there an 

 immense concourse of riders, but the townspeople 

 turn out in thousands to make holiday. Queen Wood 

 is on the steep slope a couple of miles from the town ; 

 and when it is drawn the mob line the height above, to 



