CHAPTER XIV. 



The Gisburne Park Herd — Related to the Middleton — Bewick's Description, in 

 1790— Whitaker's, in 1805— A Polled Herd— Originally from Whalley 

 Abhey — or possibly from Middleton — Its semi-domesticated Character — Be- 

 came extinct in 1859 — Lord Bibblesdale's Account — Rev. T. Staniforth's — 

 Mr. Assheton's— The last Animal killed on Nov. 10, 1859— The Herd 

 perished from In-breeding — This often perfects the Individual, but annihi- 

 lates the Race — The Middleton Hall Herd — Dr. Leigh's Account, in 1700 — 

 Then "WildCattel" — and Polled — Probable Origin — Finally removed to 

 Gunton Park. 



Having given in the preceding chapter, so far as it can 

 now be ascertained, the history of two of the English 

 wild herds of the hornless or polled variety of white 

 cattle, I proceed to describe others, whose origin was 

 undoubtedly in the county of Lancaster. Of these there 

 were two, intimately connected by the frequent inter- 

 marriages of the families to which they belonged, and 

 which may or may not have sprung from the same 

 source. They were the Gtsburne Park Herd, belong- 

 ing to the family of Lister, and the Middleton Hall 

 Herd, to that of Assheton. Both were also alike in 

 character ; and though I first treat of the former, it is 

 impossible to exclude many references to the latter, 

 which was something over thirty miles distant, being 

 only from four to five miles north of the once small, but 

 now great, city of Manchester. 



The Grisburne Park herd is one of those mentioned 

 by Bewick. The park itself is the fine seat of the 

 Listers, Lords Bibblesdale, and is situated in the beau- 



