i 3 o THE QUORN HUNT 



description being evidently drawn up by the hand of a 

 skilful agent. For the benefit of those who may not 

 have read of the house, it may be stated that it was 

 surrounded by 1 1 7 acres of land, and was described as 

 standing in the heart of the Leicestershire country. 

 One of its features was the fine long stable containing 

 twenty-one stalls and five loose-boxes, while there was 

 stablino" for eighteen more horses. A covered ride 

 afforded a scope for exercise in frosty or inclement 

 weather ; previous masters had lodged their hounds in 

 the commodious kennels ; cottages for huntsman and 

 stud-groom were ready to hand, while the usual appur- 

 tenances of saddle-room, granary, and what not, left 

 nothing to be desired. The house itself, "equal to the 

 accommodation of a family of consequence," included 

 dining, morning, and drawing-rooms, hall or billiard 

 room, four-and-twenty bedrooms, besides domestic 

 offices, and the property was described as lying on the 

 mail-coach road to Manchester, three miles from Lough- 

 borough, eight from Leicester, fifteen from Melton, 

 sixteen from Nottingham, and one hundred and seven 

 from London. 



The beginning of Lord Southampton's last season, 

 1830-31, was far from auspicious. Even at that time it 

 was the custom for the Quorn to meet at Kirby Gate on 

 the first Monday in November ; but for some reason 

 or other which his followers did not know, Lord 

 Southampton did not open the season until the second 

 Monday in the month, to the great annoyance of a good 

 many members of the Hunt, who arrived at the end of 

 October in anticipation of the usual arrangements being 

 carried out. A beginning once made, the hounds 

 showed excellent sport ; but from some unexplained 

 cause Lord Southampton saw little of it Than he 

 no one could be keener about hunting during his first 

 three seasons, but during his last he appeared to 



