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JOHNA.SEAVERNS
THE
HUNT.
Jlto*
m
THE
WARWICKSHIRE HUNT,
FROM 1795 TO 1836 j
DESCRIBING
WITH THESE
HIGHLY CELEBRATED HOUNDS
UNDER THE
MANAGEMENT
OF
Mr. JOHN CORBET,
LORD MIDDLETON,
Mr. E. J. SHIRLEY,
Mr. HAY,
Mr. R. FELLOWES,
Mr. J. RUSSELL,
AND
Mr. W. P. THORNHILL5
FROM
AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS,
MOSTLY ORIGINAL J
WITH
NUMEROUS NOTES, ANECDOTES, &c.
TO THESE ARE ADDED,
Supplementary Pieces,
CONNECTED WITH THE CHASE, THE TURF, AND THE TRIGGER.
BY VENATOR.
^ — — »
' A braver choice of dauntless spirits never
Dasli'd after hound.'
LONDON :
HENRY HARRIS, GREAT ALIE-STREET, GOODMAN's FIELDS 3
J. COOPER, WARWICK ; AND ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS.
1837.
COOPER, PRINTER, WARWICK.
ENTERED AT STATIONERS* HALL.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOHN COOPER, AVARWICK.
THE MASTER AND MEMBERS OF THE
WARWICKSHIRE HUNT,
AND
THE SPORTING GENTLEMEN
OF THE COUNTY,
THIS WORK
IS,
MOST RESPECTFULLY,
INSCRIBED,
BY
PREFATORY REMARKS.
The noble diversion of Foxhunting,
according to the sporting annals of the coun-
try, has long been a favourite amusement of
the British people.
The Chase and the Turf, altho' ardently
pursued, and liberally supported in their pro-
gress by gentlemen of opulence and spirit,
still wanted something to enable them to
enjoy those recreations with pleasure and
effect. That object has at length been attain-
ed — and we have now a breed of horses, swift
of foot, strong enough to carry weight, hardy
in constitution, and able to endure fatigue.
VUl
Wlien the amusements of the higher
(•kisses of soeiety contribute largely to the
convenience and prosperity of the whole com-
munity, they may justly claim an eminent
rank amongst the sources of national utility ;
and the English horse, for all the various
purposes of pleasure and business, is now
preferred to those of any other country in
Europe.
There is a sort of witchery, not easily
defined — but, by its votaries, pretty sensibly
felt, in hunting the fox. The light-hearted,
high-spirited stripling, when cigaring it care-
lessly to cover, with a kind of a knowing demi-
devil-may-care twist of his beaver, receives in
his transit a benison from every real friend of
the chase he may chance to pass ; and the
airy, eager zeal of the youthful aspirant to
7'olls, tumbles, and the brush, will flush his
memory with the frolic gayety of other days,
and animate his mind with reflections most
welcome to his heart.
IX
In the progress of this work, I have
received much ready assistance from many
gentlemen of great talent and long experience
in the Field. The Original Contributors, too,
have furnished me with an interesting mass
of important information. The value of their
favours has heen greatly enhanced by their
manner of bestowing them, and I shall ever
retain a most grateful recollection of both.
I have observed, amongst that class of
Sportsmen I most distinctly address — a kind
of social feeling — a sort of mysterious sym-
pathy — a species of freemasonry of the chase,
I may call it — which is rarely to be met with
elsewhere — and it is with pride and satisfac-
tion I acknowledge, that no small portion of
that good feeling has been kindly extended to
myself.
To the manly and generous Sportsman,
then, T ap])eal. The Warwickshire Hunt now
lies before them. They can best estimate
the labour and perseverance that have been
X
exerted in the production of the work — and 1
trust they will construe candidly its defects
— and admit liberally its claims.
JOHJK COOPER.
WARWICK, DEC, 1837-
PERIODS OF MASTERSHIP.
Mr. J. Corbet from 1791 to 1811
Lord Middleton from 1811 to 1821
Mr. Shirley from 1821 to 1825
Mr. Hay from 1825 to 1826
Mr. Fellowes from 1826 to 1830
Mr. Russell from 1830 to 1833
Mr. Thornhill from 1833 to 1836
HEADS OF CONTENTS.
MR. WRIGHTSON.
Run with the Warwickshire hounds under Mr. Wrightson, page 2
MR. J. CORBET.
The famous run from Wolford Heath
Time of Mr. Corhet hunting tlie Wanvickshire country
Remarkahly long and hard day with these hounds
Number and names of tlie hounds in 1801, and how bred
Very severe run from Lord Northampton's
A severe chase from Wolford Wood
Another capital run from the same cover
Good run from Thickthorn-wood
Fox killed in Lady Hertford's ornamental dairy, at
A good hunting day from Oakley-wood
Fine run from Wellesbourne Pastures
Famous day from Sutton North
A long but bloodless run from Cubbington
Fine hunting day from Bearley Bushes
A capital thin^ from Oakley -wood
The Epwell Hunt, by E. Goulburn, Esq,
Very gallant day from Wellesbourne-wood
Excellent i-un from Sheepley's Gorse
A brilliant run from Idlicote
Resignation of Mr. Corbet
Demise, &c. of Mr. Corbet
Death of Bill Barrow
.
8
itry
9
32
v bred
34
.
43
•
47
48
52
Ragley Park
55
•
60
•
63
•
65
■
66
•
72
ibid
•
76
85
87
ibid
. . .
88
.
92
. .
95
XIV
LORD MIDDLETON.
His Lordship's accession to the Hunt . . pajye 97
Capital liunting day from Burton Dassett . . . . 98
Fine day's sport — meet at Alscote . . . . 103
A splendid run from Farnborougli . . . . 106
List of Lord Middleton's hounds, 1815 . . . . 108
A gallant run from Mollington .. .. .. 112
Long and hard day from Farnborough . . . . 113
Death of Mr. Walter Stubbs .. .. .. 116
A famous day from Ufton-wood and Debdale . . . , 117
Remarkable run from Idlicote .. .. ..120
Severe day from Farnborough . . . . . . 124
Long and hard day from Ufton-wood . . . , 125
Capital thing from Lord Northampton's and Pillerton Gorse 128
Very long and severe day from Brandon-woods .. .. 131
A spirited run from Eatington . . . . . . 134
The Earl of Warwick . . . . . . 137
Resignation and demise of Lord Middleton . . . . 138
Song — The Wanvickshire Hounds — by a Member of the Hunt, 142
Willoughby Dixie's Will — an original Piece . . . . 144
Death of Mr. Hawkes, late of Snitterfield . . . . 149
MR. SHIRLEY.
A famous run from Alscote . . . . . . 152
Good liunting day from a meet at Edge Hill . . . . 154
A sharp thing from the covers at Farnborough . . . . 155
A noble day's sport from Edge Hill , . . . 158
Brilliant run from Alveston Pastures . . . . 160
Another capital day from Alveston . . . . . . 163
Mr. Shirley's resignation of the hounds .. .. 167
MR. HAY.
A deathless, but severe day, from Alveston Pastures . . 171
Dashing run from Compton Verney .. .. 173
A fine day's sport from Walton-wood . . . . 175
Capital run from Lightliorno Rougli .. .. 179
XV
MR. FELLOWES.
Meet at the Old Park, Warwick . . page 18G
Good run from Mitford Bridge .. ., 190
A famous day from Wolford-wood . . . . ] 93
Another good run from Wolford-wood . . 'i_i 195
A capital day from Oakley-wood . . . . 200
MR. RUSSELL.
First throw-oflF in the season ,. .. 210
A good run from Idlicote . . . . . . 213
Fine day's sport from Ladbroke .. ,. ..216
Gallant chase from Whimpstone Bridge .. .. 221
A beautiful thing from Ladbroke . . . . . . 222
Resignation of the hounds by Mr. Russell . . . . 253
MR. THORNHILL.
A smart day from Bishop's Itcliingtou . . . . 259
A good run from I'pton House . . . . , . 260
Capital day from Birdingbury . . . . . , 270
A brilliant run from Bishop's Itchington . . . . 272
The Dehdale Hunt . . . . . , 279
A sharp brush from Mitford Bridge . . . , 289
Splendid run from Farnborough .. .. 292
Another good thing from Farnborotigh . . . . 296
A capital burst from Epwell White House . . . . 298
A very interesting meet at Farnborough . . . . 301
Good hunting run from Swacliffe . . . . 309
A busy d
Some capital sport from Upton . . . . 324
A rattling run from Debdale . . , . . . . 325
A tremendous thing from Pillerton . . . . 326
Remarkable day from Ufton wood . . . . , . 329
A gallant run from Halford Bridge . . . . 339
A dashing thing from Eatington village .. ,. 342
The Last Time for the Season . . . , . . 344
Leamington as a Hunting Station . . . , 348
Sporting Anecdotes, and Death of Mr. John liockley .. 351
Crack Riders of Warwickshire . . . . . . 353
Warwickshire as a Hunting Country .. ., 361
XVI
SUPPLEMENTARY PIECES.
A fine run by a DrakesmaTi
Steeple Races in Warwickshire, 1836
The Turf, in Warwickshire, in 1836
Shooting Maxims and Directions — Training tlie Pointer
A Word to Young Sportsmen on loading the FoAvling-piece
Performances of Vivian
The late Mr. John Mytton
Hints on Grooming the Hunter
On the Coats of Horses
Venator's Farewell Address to his Sporting Friends
page
373
376
382
388
395
397
402
403
404
405
»••{•••
w^©wa®i^^]HiKB!i mww^^
' All shall join in jolly song,
Noble Sports to us belong ;
Hail the morning's ruddy face,
Now begins the sprightly Chase.'
jyl-R. Wrightson, as correctly as I can remember, hunted
several parts of Warwickshire about the year 1780. He
had two kem^els, the one at Swacliffe Grange^, and the other
at the White Lion Inn, Stratford. This hotel was then,
and for many years afterwards, the principal place of resort
for the Sporting Characters of the country ; but more
particularly for those Gentlemen who resided in this and
the neighbouring counties. He was an excellent Sportsman,
A
WARWICKSHIRE HUNT.
and spared, what was then considered, no expence, in
making his establishment as complete as any Master of
hounds could wish. He had a huntsman and two whips,
whom he supplied with four horses each ; and by his own
experience, and that of his men, he afforded some capital
sport to the admirers of the chase.
RUN WITH MR. WRIGHTSON'S HOUNDS,
IX 1780.
BY AN OLD FOXHUNTER.
We once ran a brace of foxes from Alveston Pastures,
which we lost, and then went to Eatington Grove. We
foimd there, and ran a ring about the grove for an hour,
and killed.
We found a third fox, a short time afterwards, at Hon
ington Spinies, and then ran him at a very fast pace, over
Idlicote Heath, close by Lord Northampton's, and on to
Shutford Long Hill, where the pack turned him up in
gallant style.
The late Mr. Shirley, on a favourite chesnut horse ;
the late Mr. Dadley, on a chesnut horse ; and Mr. Wm.
Barke, on a brown mare, were the only persons up at the
end of this run, which was as good a one as any sportsman
could wish to see. 1
1 Our venerable correspondent, ' An Old Foxhunter,' has sent us
this capital run with Mr. Wrightson's hounds. The reader will
perceive by the date, that it took place more than half a century ago,
and is, probably, the only authentic record now to be met with, that
describes a run with ' The Warwickshire,' previous to the one that
succeeds it, in the year 1795. — venator.
MR. J. CORBET— 1795.
SPLENDID RUN WITH THE WARWICKSHIRE.
MEET WOLFORD HEATH.
' Stratford-on-Avon, Dec. 8, 1795.
Mr. Corbet's hounds threw off at Wolford Heath, near
Shipston-upon-Stour, where they found a fox ; and, after
driving him once round the cover, he went over Leniington
Heath, Norton Common, Evenlode Heath, Longborough
Lees, Donington, Scott's Brake. Eyford, Halford Holt ;
over Cold Aston Downs, within two miles of Farmington
Grove ; then turned through Saperton Grove, over the
finest part of the Gloucestershire Hills, within four miles
of Cheltenham, and ten of Gloucester, and was then killed ;
after running at least 35 miles, and "23 point-blank from the
cover in which they found him.
The first hour and half was a complete burst, succeeded
by almost the same time in cold hunting, and 50 minutes
more as hard running as possible, out of scent into view ;
and after every hovmd viewing him, they killed him most
gallantly.
Out of upwards of a hundred horsemen only six were in
at the death, namely — Mr. J. Corbet, (who joined them
after the first burst,) Mr. J. Martin, Mr. S. Littleton,
Mr. PiGOTT, the huntsman, and whipper-in. Mr, Hill.
came up while the hounds were worrying their fox, and
none of the rest at all.' 1
1 The Old Sporting Magazine was first published in 1793; and in tlie
number for December, 1795, tlie same version of this run is inserted
without a signature. — venator.
a2
WARWICKSHIRE HUNT.
THE SAME BY VENATOR.
Only on Britain's fertile ground,
Is bred the true and perfect hound ;
From them, in other climes, we trace
A weak, degen'rate, feeble race.
'Tis thine to train the sprightly steed.
With hound unmatch'd in scent and speed.
Hail ! land of freedom ! — happy, gay.
Thus saitli the poet in his lay. 1
What a Field of fine Sportsmen — how princely the throng !
Youll soon be in action, and dashing along.
Your nags in prime order this day must be found.
Or you'll quickly lose sight of the Field and the hound ;
'Tis a fine-scenting morn, and few Sportsmen yet
In nose, wind, and speed, their equals have met. .
At fam'd Wolford Heath, having Shipston in view.
The pack first caught scent, and quick on it they flew ;
Hark, the challenge ! the game is just rous'd from his den.
And the pack, in sweet music, respond it again.
'Tis a famous old fox — tho' crafty and stout,
I'll bet a cool hundred they'll soon have him out;
After skulking, sly vagabond, once round the cover.
The hounds at his brush — away bolted the rover !
To Ilmington Heath, and o'er Norton Common,
They went at a split exceeded by no man ;
O'er Evenlode Heath, and Longboro' Lees,
The scent it lay well, and delightful the breeze ;
To Donington next, and thorough Scott's Brake,
The nags all alive, and no man broke his neck !
1 William Somerville, Esq. author of that fine poem, ' The Chase.'
He died at Wootton Wawen, in the county of Warwick, in 1742, and
was buried in the family vault in the rhapcl at that place.
MR. J. CORBET— 1795.
To Eyford and Halford — no time now to crane.
To turn over a fence, or to creep down a lane.
Thence to Holt, and away o'er the Downs of Cold Aston,
Ev'ry Sportsman well up rode a good and a fast one ;
Within two miles of Farmington Grove — ev'ry screw
Was by this time done up — others losing a shoe !
Off to Saperton Grove, a turn rather short —
No sinecure now to the Dons of the Sport !
O'er the fine Gloster Hills Reynard shew'd us the way ;
All follow'd, who could, on this terrible day,
Till from fam'd Chelt'nam Spa we were miles only four.
From Gloster's old city but ten and no more,
When this gallant old fox did reluctantly yield
Up his life to the pack i' th' midst of a field ;
After leading us thirty-five miles — what a run !
And point-blank twenty-three from the place it begun !
For thirty-five minutes stout reynard at first
Led us bravely along — how tremendous the burst !
Cold hunting then follow'd the same length in time,
A welcome reprieve e'en to nags some call'd prime.
Fifty-two minutes more of desp'rate rumiing ;
No art could avail him, of trick or of cunning.
Out of scent into view — by a wonderful rush
Ev'ry hound got a sight of his long-flowing brush.
Tho' matchless in speed — in courage tho' valiant —
They kill'd him at last in a style th' most gallant !
What a Field in the morning — not less than five score
Eager Sportsmen appear'd — some said there were more.
What a brilliant day for stout nags and good riders !
What a terrible blank to the tricksy outsiders !
A3
WARWICKSHIRE HUNT.
To the end, only six were able to follow,
To joiu in prond triumph the welcome — Death-halloo !
Good Sportsmen are not the most anxious of fame,
Yet we may be excused if we give them by name.
J. Corbet, who did not appear at the cover,
He join'd in the chase when the first burst was over.
J. Martin, S. Littleton, Pigott — all bold
Crack riders who knew when to go and to hold.
The Huntsman the stoutest and best of his race.
And the tight Whipper-in, a lad always in place.
Then Hill to the spot in a few minutes came.
As the hounds were all busy in killing their game.
The pace and the rate had made such a clearance.
Not one of the others could make his appearance !
Thus ended a run — we fear not retorting —
That will scarce find its match in the Annals of Sporting ! 1
Mr. Corbet, Mr. R. Canning, Captain Hawkes, Major
Pigott, and Mr. W. Greenall, of Milcote, were up at
the death. The late Mr. Thomas Handley, of Barford,
on his clever chesnut horse ; and Mr. Joseph Russell,
of Grove Fields, on a brown splint-legged horse, were also
in good places when the fox was killed. — actjEON, jun.
Mr. Corbet was so delighted when the hounds viewed
their gallant fox, that he instantly clapped spurs to his
horse, and not being able to stop him (as was his custom,)
when he came to the next gate cleared it on his back.
When the run was over, he exclaimed, " I have done more
1 The fox was killed in or near to Saiulewell Park.
MR. J. CORBET— 1795.
than I meant to do.' Mr. Corbet, in the evening, threw
the head of this famous fox on the dinner table at the White
Lion Inn, Stratford, before the Gentlemen who assembled
there after the run. Mr. Corbet had the head preserved,
and hung up in a glass case, in the room called The Tempest,
where the Members of the Stratford Hunt Club dined. —
ACTION, jun. 1
1 Mr. Corbet had the head of the fox that had aflforded this most
extraordinaiy run preserved and put into a glass-case in ' The Tempest
Room,' so named in honour of Shalvspeare, where the Members of the
Hunt Club then dined, and upon the frame was written the description
of the chase we have already given. The head of that noble animal
continued to grace the room for 45 successive years. Everj' Sportsman
who knew his history and achievements, contemplated his stern grim
visage with delight, and many, whose hearts never responded to the
gladsome Tallyho ! felt some pleasure in looking for a moment at the
gallant old fox of Wolford Heath. In 1834, the White Lion changed
proprietors ; and in the following year the tenant then in possession
left the house. This relique of sporting had kept its station under
every tenancy, and was considered as a sort of heirloom to the premises.
An old Sportsman, on entering the room on the day of sale, exclaimed,
' Stole away !' The fine old fox of Wolford Heath was no where to be
found. Had this not been the case, his likeness here had superseded
tlie necessity of our making this apology. — venator.
WARWICKSHIRE HUNT.
BY AN OLD FOXHUNTER.
MEET ILMINGTON, ABOUT 1790.
We had once a fine day's sport, when the meet was at
Ihnington. The Field, in the morning, was excellently
mounted — the hounds in the primest condition — the hunts-
man in famous humour — the morning most favourable — the
country good — and the whole company in capital spirits,
and determined to go. We found in a small gorse cover
on the right of Stoke, as stout a fox as ever led a Field,
who sunk the hill as if pointing for Preston Bushes ; but
turning short back he regained the hill, and dashed through
Stoke Wood, by Foxcote on to Blakewell Bushes. He
passed through those bushes, and then crossed the Stour
between Halford and Newbold ; over the road by Eatington
Church, below Kineton, and we lost him in a large grass
meadow ground under Avon Dassett Hill. This was a
capital thing, and the distance could not be less than 18
miles, which was done in a very short time.
Under Baker's Hill, which the fox first sunk, Mr. W.
Barke, on a young restive horse of Mr. H. Wyatt's, met
with a terrible fall ; but quickly remounted, and occupied
a good station at the end. Mr. Stubbs, Mr. H. Wyatt,
Mr. F. Canning, Mr. R, Canning, Mr. Cockbill, the
huntsman, and a few others, were up when we lost. The
pace was so quick, and the fences so strong and awkward,
that many good-tins stopped at Kineton.
When Mr. Corbet hunted this country, he resided at Clopton House,
a mile from the town, but his hounds and horses were kept at the
White Lion, in Stratford. He generally had about 70 couple of hounds,
which he divided into two packs, dogs and bitches ; the dogs were the
largest and stoutest, but the other pack was preferred by many of the
Sportsmen for quickness of scent and activity. — Mr. Corbet dined with
the Club at the White Lion, every other Thursday. — an old fox-
HUNTKR.
MR. J. CORBET.— 1798.
BY AN OLD FOXHUNTER.
MEET WALTON WOOD.
Wk had a very good run from this cover, some time in
1/98, but I forget the exact date. We found a fox in the
wood, and ran him straight over Meon Hill, and Mickleton
Grounds, to Weston Subbage, where we killed him in a
little garden.
Mr. F. Canning, Mr. R. Canning, Mr. Greenall,
and a few others, were up at the death.
MEET SNITTERFIELD.
We once found a fox at this cover, which broke away
at a famous rate, and led us through Alveston Pastures,
across the river by the mill, and on to Lord Willoughby's,
where we killed him after a most excellent day's sport.
We ran another fox from the same Bushes for some
length of time, and killed him after swimming the ri\er at
Warmington village.
Mr. Corbet first hunted the Meriden covers in 1778. At that time
Mr. Ward hunted Oxfordshire, and occasionally part of the Stratford
country, when his kennel was at Newbold, five miles from Shipston and
six from Stratford. On Mr. Ward declining Oxford, and taking to
Northampton, Mr. Corbet took possession of Warwickshire. Mr.
Wrightson, of Cashworth, Yorkshire, the Earl of Thanet, and Mr.
Willoughby (afterwards Lord Middleton,) severally hunted Warwick-
shire, until Mr. Corbet took it in 1791. He continued to hunt it with
the greatest success till he resigned to Lord Middleton. I believe, Mr.
Corbet was master of foxhounds, without having a guinea subscribed,
upwards of 40 years, with the exception of £5 a year by each iVIember
of the Stratford Hunt Club, to reward the earth-stoppers of the countrj-.
I heard him say, he had kept hounds longer, at his own expence, than
any man before him. Soon after Mr. Corbet took to the Warwickshire,
his friends advised him to go abroad, and the country was then hunted
by the Earl of Craven, Sir R. Puleston, and the celebrated Col. Wardle.
On his return, Mr. Corbet again became master of the Warwickshire.
NIMROD.
10 WARWICKSHIRE HUNT.
Although Mr. Corbet kept hounds for so many years
for the amusement of the county, without receiving any
subscription, he was, nevertheless, very tenacious of any
one hunting them when he was absent. The hounds,
one day, had not been able to find a fox, after trying the
covers from Alveston Pastures to Oakley Wood, where
they left off. The gentlemen took the direct road home,
whilst Mr. Barke, Bill Barrow the huntsman, and Jack
Barrow and Jack Jones, the whips, returned home with
the hounds across the covmtry. Just as they reached
Middle Hill, a fox was seen to pass through a gap about 40
yards before them. The huntsman debated for a short
time whether he should let the hounds go or not, but being
pressed by Mr. Barke, he consented to have a short run.
The pack had no sooner got within 20 yards of the spot,
than off they set, with their heads up and sterns down, tmtil
they reached Bowshot, where Bill Barrow stopped them,
and took them home.
Mr. Corbet had been impatiently inquiring if the hunts-
man had brought his hounds home, and whether Barke
was returned ? The waiter replied in the negative, and
received orders to send Mr. B. up to the Master when he
came home. As soon as he entered the room, he was
accosted by Mr. Corbet, in his usual way — ' What makes
you so late, I suppose you have been up to your d — d
tricks ?' Barke replied, the hounds had seen a fox, and
Bill Barrow could not stop them. This made matters
worse, for it was impossible to deceive so good a judge as