132 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



the Grafton, for his huntsman. The Ouorn for two 

 or three days in the week is on the best grass, and 

 for other two in an excellent wild country. If you go 

 to Melton, you will join the hunt and take a pride 

 alike in its present glories and its past achievements ; 

 and many a pleasant hour may be spent in turning 

 over the records of the past. Thus we add to the 

 pleasures of hunting over a beautiful country the 

 charms of historic associations with the past of the 

 sport we love. 



II. The Cottesmore 



The Quorn has been a subscription pack for the 

 greater part of its history, but the Cottesmore owes 

 its existence and its fame to-day to two families, 

 those of Noel and Lowther. It is a very ancient 

 hunt, and no one will be surprised at this when he 

 becomes acquainted with the country, for it would 

 be difficult to find a district more suitable for hunting. 

 It is an extensive country and almost as various as 

 the Belvoir. Like most other masters of his time, 

 Mr. Noel began by hunting over a large and undefined 

 country which, as time went on and foxes became 

 more numerous, was gradually reduced to its present 

 limits. At one time, in the middle of the eighteenth 

 century, part of the present Cottesmore and a 

 portion of the Belvoir were hunted by a sort of 

 joint-stock company, consisting of the Duke of 

 Rutland and Lords Cardigan, Gainsborough, Gower 

 and Howe. 



But the true founder of the Cottesmore Hunt was 

 Sir William Lowther, afterwards the first Lord Lons- 

 dale. He lived at Uffington and at Stocken, after- 



