GRANTHAM 117 



way of charging timber. A contemporary verse writer 

 thus addresses him — 



" Bold Tar who for so many winters 

 Has knocked our five-barred gate to splinters. 



For when the hog-back stile appears 



You forwards rush devoid of fears. 



The stile collapses in a heap, 



And through the wreck the funkers creep." * 



No description of the Grantham country would be 

 complete without a notice of Folkingham. This is 

 an ideal English country town or large village, and a 

 fixture at Folkingham is worth all the journey to 

 see. So much was I struck with it that for a long 

 time I thought of casting anchor there, and it is a 

 place to be recommended to other old Anglo-Indian 

 wanderers who may be seeking retirement and sport. 

 The place is full of the traditions of sport. Not far 

 away is Lenton with its spire and brook, the one a 

 famous landmark and the other a terror to the timid 

 riders of the hunt. Thence, too, from Folkingham 

 Gorse has been many a famous run, or again, a little 

 to the south you may find a fox to lead you into 

 the Cottesmore country. From Coston to Woodwell 

 Head has already been written of. Twice in one 

 season did the pack run from Buckminster coverts. 

 In 1895, December 18, the pack found a fox near 

 Lord Dysart's house. Now, to be sharp in getting 

 away is a note of this pack. They came out racing 

 over the park close to their fox. Gillard and his 

 two whippers-in were in their places, Lord Charles 

 Bentinck and Mr. H. T. Barclay striving for a lead, 

 Mr. Seabrooke of Waltham also and Mr. Gale. There 



* From an unpublished copy of verses by Mr. J. E. Welby. 



