CHAPTER V. 

 The Morpeth Country. 



Mention has been made of the Morpeth country, 

 and of this hunt I know just enough to write of 

 it in terms of praise, but my actual hunting days passed 

 in it have been iew and far between, and extend over a 

 great number of years. In connection with the Tynedale 

 it has been explained that the hunt now known as the Mor- 

 peth was formed by Sir Matthew White Ridley in 1818, and 

 was continued by Sir Matthew and his son until 1844, when 

 the country was divided, Mr. Watson, of North Seaton, and 

 Mr. Vaughan taking the southern and western side of Sir 

 Matthew's country, while Lord Elcho (afterwards Lord 

 Wemyss) took over the north side. This is the short account 

 which is given in Baih/s Hunting Directory, but some years 

 ago I had occasion to inquire as to the early masterships 

 of the Morpeth, and found evidence to the effect that the 

 founder of the pack hunted the country until his death in 

 1836, that his son took on the hounds for a couple of seasons, 

 and in 1838 was succeeded by Mr. Riddell, of Cheeseburn 

 Grange, and Mr. Matthew Clayton, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, 

 who acted as jont Masters until 1844, when the country was 

 split up in the manner which has been stated. Certain it is 

 that Sir Matthew White Ridley hunted a very large tract 

 of country, having his principal kennels at Blagdon. Whether 

 he had supplementary kennels I do not know, but all the 

 Tynedale country north of the river Tyne was included in 

 his hunt, and hounds must have had to travel very long dis- 

 tances to covert at times. Nor do I know how far the hunt 

 extended north of the Coquet, into what is now the Percy 

 country, but I imagine that it was the country beyond the 



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