112 WILD WHITE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



from that district to some of the Midland fairs. Low 

 says "they were of good size, and valued by the farmers 

 as dairy cows." They probably derived their colour 

 either from some remote cross of the wild blood, once 

 abundant in that neighbourhood, or by descent from 

 some importation into those parts of the Welsh white 

 tame race. 



I have already alluded to the "White Breed" of the 

 Aislabies, of Studley Eoyal, near Eipon. Great as was 

 the effect of this herd upon the domestic cattle of the 

 country, nothing whatever has been yet ascertained with 

 regard to its origin. I shall mention one circumstance, 

 which shows the connection formerly existing between 

 the families of Studley Eoyal and Chillingham, in the 

 hope that it may, some day or other, lead to some clue. 

 When King George I. ascended the throne in the spring 

 of 1714, Lord Ossulston (who, in right of his wife, the 

 heiress of the Greys of Wark, had recently inherited 

 Chillingham) and John Aislabie, Esq., of Studley Eoyal, 

 were both strong and influential Whigs. Mr. Aislabie 

 was made Chancellor of the Exchequer ; Lord Ossulston 

 was raised, at the coronation, to the Earldom of Tanker- 

 ville. A few years later the friendship of the families 

 was further strengthened by the marriage of Mr. 

 Aislabie's son and heir with the only daughter of the 

 sixth Earl of Exeter, whose first wife (by whom he had 

 no children) was the sister of the same Lord Ossulston.* 

 In any future inquiry with regard to the breeding of 

 the Studley white herd, I think it very desirable that 

 the connection and probable intimacy of the Aislabies 



* The above particulars are taken from Arthur Collins' " Peerage," 

 vol. iii., 1768. 



