The Albrighton. 295 



of light soil in the centre of the country extends from 

 just above Shifnal practically (as far as hounds are 

 concerned) to the neighbourhood of Enville; and in 

 this portion little but plough is met with except along 

 the edges of the brooks. On the Severnside, a little 

 distance north of Bridgenorth, is the Apley estate, 

 where Mr. W. 0. Foster has a splendid stronghold 

 for foxes in Apley Terrace — a rocky woodland covert 

 occupying some miles of the river bank, and probably 

 containing half a dozen litters of foxes at this moment. 

 In the vicinity of this is the Worf, which joins the 

 Severn at Bridgenorth ; and which, though seldom 

 jumpable, is often fordable, and has tributary brooks 

 which are more negotiable for a hunter. In the 

 district we are now alluding to are, as already men- 

 tioned, the estates of the Earl of Dartmouth at 

 PatshuU, Lord Wrottesley at Wrottesley (with two 

 nice woods, Cranmoor and Simmons Wood) ; of the 

 Earl of Bradford at Weston (with several small woods 

 about the deer park and a very good covert two miles 

 away, and in sight of the Kennels, Lizard Hill to wit); 

 of Mr. GiflFard at Chillington (Chillmgton Wood being 

 some eight hundred acres, with many smaller coverts 

 near); of Colonel Kenyon-Slaney at Hatton ; and of Mr. 

 Monckton at Somerford. And the above landowners 

 are all keenly anxious to further the sport of fox- 

 hunting. 



In the country above the Watling Street Road, and 

 extending almost to Eccleshall, the best covert is, 

 perhaps, the White Sich, which also belongs to Lord 

 Bradford. This is a wood of some thirty or forty 

 acres surrounding a pool. But the largest woodlands 



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