to fox, hunting that part of the Fitzwilliam country lent him by Mr. G. C. W. Fitzwilliam in the immediate neighbourhood of his residence, Burghley House, Stamford, with invitation days in neighbouring countries. Lord Kesteven, formerly Sir John Trollope, used to hunt up to Bourne Wood, and Mr. Tailby came right up to Manton Gorse.
HARRIERS AND BEAGLES
There are now no harriers in Lincolnshire. Both the Hon. G. Pelham and Mr. W. Wright of Wold Newton kept harriers in the last century, and Major Allott has a pack of beagles kennelled at Louth, which provides excellent sport in the neighbourhood and attracts a large field. The master hunts them himself, and the honorary whipper-in, Mr. E. H. Cartwright, carries the horn in his absence.
OTTER HOUNDS
No otter hounds are kennelled in the county, but now and then a pack pays it a visit, hunting the Bain in the Southwold country and the various brooks and becks in Lord Yarborough's domains. In 1904 Mr. Evan Jones brought the Ynysfor hounds and killed a fine otter in the brook between Ulceby and Thornton.[1]
RACING Racing in its early days, depending as it did on local support, was most popular in horse-breeding districts, and Lincolnshire therefore figured prominently with organized race Among these was meetings at a remote period. that at Stamford, which dates back to the entirely
fifteenth century.
'To
fix
race meeting at Stamford writes
is
the date of the
first
Mr. C. O. Eaton, of Tolethorpe
Annals of Stamford {i J 2"]), writes that
Hall,
ancient and public sports of Stamford are not many, in all but two, but too many by one. The one
manhood and
gentry, a con-
course of noblemen and gentlemen meeting together in mirth, peace, and amity, for the exercise of their for the race every ThursMarch. The prize they run for is a silver gilt cup and cover, to the value of seven or eight pounds provided by the care of the Alderman
swift
day and
running horses, kept
in
time being, but the money is raised out of the a stock formerly made up by the nobility and gentry, who are neighbours or well-wishers to the town. for the
interest of
Whether
March
races took place on the on Wittering Heath there The present grand is no means of knowing. stand was built in 1766, and formerly races in all probability were run on Wittering Heath the March races, run on the Thursday before Mid-Lent Sunday, for a plate of ^fio value The provided by the town, were held there.
these
Articles is
'
or rules under
singular
which the
matched horses or their riders chaunce anye of the foure heats, the rest of the riders shall staye in theire places, where they were at the time of the fall, until the rider so fallen, have his foote If anye of the to fall in
in the stirroppe againe.
existing racecourse or
Harrod, the historian of Stamford, says
In October, 1679, horse-racing articles are mentioned. old course, four miles in length, was discarded in
The
new one laid out in 1 7 1 6 saw meeting on Thursday and Friday, 20 and 2 July, 1873. 1
7
1
the
5
or 1716, and the
last
Mr. C. O. Eaton
The
a sport favouring both
'
matches were run
think impossible,'
I
Stamford, in a letter revised by Captain E. C. ' It was subsequent to Clayton of Cottesmore. the bull-running which was instituted in the reign of King John by William earl Warren, Francis Peck, in the first lord of the town.' his
of the
fifth
says
have no records till 1734, in which year on the lith, I2th, and 13th June, a plate of ^^50 was run
I
for,
and won
—by
Mr.
in the three heats
— twice round the course
bay horse Liberty, which beat five others ; on the 1 2th by Mr. Weaver's Sober John in three heats, four miles ; on the I 3 th by Mr. Curzon's roan colt by Cade in four two-mile heats, beating Pitt's
others.
I I
In 1755 similar prizes were offered, the winners being Mr. Sisson, Captain Vernon, and the Duke of Ancaster. In 1808 there were three days'
The Town Plate of ^^50, the winner to be sold for 150 guineas, was the principal race ; it was twice round, about two and three-quarter racing.
miles. '
There was
also a
sweepstake of 20 guineas
- ↑ In compiling the history of fox-hunting in Lincolnshire, acknowledgements are due to Lord Monson, Mr. Cuthbert Bradley, Mr. G. S. Lowe, Mr. T. Wilson, M.F.H., Mr. E. P. Rawnsley, M.F.H., Mr. T. F. Dale, and Mr. J. Maunsell Richardson.
