378 WILD WHITE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



dissolution, or in the time of the Asshetons, or at both periods. 

 It died out less than twenty years ago. 



Burton Constable (Yorkshire). — A large and good herd, of great 

 antiquity but unknown origin. It belonged to the Clifford 

 Constables, and came to an end in the latter part of the last 

 century. 



Wollaton Hall (Nottinghamshire). — Here, till about fifty years 

 since, was a beautiful herd, of unknown origin but of great 

 antiquity, as is shown by the name they bore : " The Old Park 

 Cattle." 



Somerford Park (Cheshire), Sir C. W. Shakerley's, contains a herd 

 which has been here for several hundred years. Derived un- 

 doubtedly at first from the wild herds of South Lancashire, it 

 has been long domesticated, but strikingly preserves the ancient 

 character of the breed. 



Holdenby (Northamptonshire). — A comparatively modern park, 

 made in the time of Queen Elizabeth, but purchased and much 

 enlarged by King James I., by whom, in all probability, the wild 

 cattle kept there were introduced. They were destroyed during 

 the civil wars in the reign of his son, Charles I. 



Ewelme (Oxfordshire). — An ancient royal park which the wild cattle 

 inhabited in the time of James I. and in the early part of the 

 following reign. There is, however, strong reason for believing 

 that they were located here in much earlier times. 



Leigh Court (Somersetshire), near Bristol. — A very ancient park, 

 belonging formerly to the Augustinian Canons near Bristol. A 

 wild herd flourished here till 1806, when they were destroyed 

 on account of their ferocity. Their origin is uncertain : but 

 they probably went back to the monastic period. 



The Gunton, Blickling, and Woodbastwick Herds (Norfolk) 

 were all derived from the ancient wild herd of Middleton, in 

 Lancashire. The first of them died out some thirty years 

 since ; the two latter still exist, more or less pure. All were 

 domesticated. 



Brooke Hall (Norfolk). — This herd, the property of the Kerrisons, 

 was domesticated, but of the same type. The origin of it has 

 not been ascertained. 



