no FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



Grantham, a two hours' journey from King's Cross, 

 is a pleasant town in the county which shares with 

 Yorkshire the right to be called the most sporting 

 in England. Indeed, the Yorkshire man loves the 

 thoroughbred better even than horse or hound, while 

 the latter are to the true Lincolnshire man the first 

 objects of his admiration. Nor is this to be wondered 

 at when we consider that for nearly two centuries 

 this county has been hunted by the Brocklesby and 

 Belvoir packs, and that besides these the Burton, 

 the Blankney and the Southwold all hunt within its 

 borders. That the blood of the Blankney pack is 

 now the source of such famous kennels as the Wood- 

 land Pytchley at Brigstock, and the Pytchley at 

 Brixworth is well known, while to the Belvoir and 

 Brocklesby strains every kennel in England goes back. 

 The whole country save the fen district is suitable 

 for hunting. The very best of that hunting country 

 is found round Grantham, a town which has a history 

 connected with sport as long and as important as 

 any in England. Grantham is a centre from which 

 you can probably see as much hunting in the course 

 of a season as from any town in England, for hounds 

 are within reach four or five times in the week, and 

 the Great Northern Railway is always there to act 

 as covert hack. 



The Belvoir hounds are less often stopped by frost 

 than any pack in England, for the great variety of 

 soils to be found within the borders of the hunt gene- 

 rally make it possible to hunt somewhere. For 

 example, in the season of 1901-2, the worst I ever 

 recollect, many packs were kept in kennel, as although 

 it thawed by day it always froze at night, but the 

 Belvoir were able to hunt when no other pack was 

 out. Therefore if a man chooses Grantham as his 



