48 The Pytchley Hunt, Past and Present, [chap, h. 



building itself was pulled down by order of its owner, 

 Mr. George Payne. 



On -the retirement of Lord Sondes, tbere seems to bave 

 been a great difficulty in finding a successor. We read 

 in a letter of Lord Altborp's, dated Althorp, April, 1820, 

 " I tbink tbat tbe bounds will be entirely given up, and 

 tbat tbere will be no bunting at all in tbis county. 

 Jobn Warde offered bimself for fifteen hundred a year ; 

 but be was refused. Hanbury, afterwards Lord Bateman, 

 offered to take tbem if two tbousand a year could be 

 raised ; but tbis could not be done. I tbink Knigbtley 

 ougbt to subscribe largely; but be will not subscribe at 

 all unless be is paid for all tbe expense he has been at 

 at Brixwortb. He will lose more comfort by this, if he 

 intends to live in tbe county, than twice the sum be 

 wants will procure him." 



After the hounds had been finally established at 

 Brixwortb, tbe most prominent members of the Hunt 

 appear, the one to have given up tbe chase entirely, the 

 other to have grown comparatively indifferent to its at- 

 tractions. Politics and agriculture, and the cares atten- 

 dant on a large estate, engrossed all Sir Charles 

 Knightley^s attention. Towards the end of bis days 

 another love sprang up to occupy bis time and thoughts, 

 viz. borticulture. Into tbis new bobby be entered 

 heart and soul ; and was never satisfied until he had 

 placed in his hothouse or greenhouse the latest produc- 

 tion from foreign lands. For two or three summers one 

 of his greatest pleasures was to take bis friends into the 

 garden to show them a row of a new and costly zonale 

 geranium, known as " Mrs. Pollock.'^ After his eightieth 

 year, be would think nothing of driving sixteen miles to 



