CHAPTER II 



JOHN KING OF FOWLESCOMBE: 1827-9 



A misconception — Its origin — Mr. Reginald Templer's explanation — Harris's 

 description of master and pack — " Mr. King's Hounds " — Country- 

 hunted — Fixtures — Sir Walter Carew's hunting journal — Record of 

 sport — Hunting from Chumleigh — Additional fixtures — Visit of Bulteel's 

 Hounds — Probable inauguration of the Ivybridge week — A long draw — 

 Some hunting men of that day — Mr. Pode of Slade — King takes the 

 Hambledon — A serious accident — Founder of the Hambledon Hunt 

 Club — The New Sporting Magazine — King of Fowlescombe identical 

 with King of Corhampton — Story of a mallard — The South Devon 

 Harriers — Death in the saddle on Dartmoor, 



" When all have great merit 'twould be hard to begin. 

 If precedence belonged not of course to a King ; 

 In royalty's person you seldom will find, 

 A good fellow and sportsman together combined ; 

 One exception there is, for of sportsmen the best, 

 And a hearty good soul, is John King of the West." 



{A Party at Stover.) 



AFTER the break up of the Stover estabhsh- 

 jl\. ment in 1826, the country appears to have 

 been without hounds, so far as a regular pack is 

 concerned, for a season. In 1827, Mr. John King of 

 Fowlescombe re-established the pack. I have not 

 been able to ascertain where King kennelled his 

 hounds. He came originally from Fowlescombe, 

 and at one time lived at Holne, as is shewn by the 

 following lines : 



" Then slowly o'er the heath and fern 

 In deep content the hunters turn ; 

 But King, at Holne, would bid them stay 

 To cheer them on their homeward way."^ 



* Dartmoor Days. 

 ^ 33 



