EARL HARRINGTON’S HUNT.

A SPLENDID GALLOP FROM HOPWELL.

Among the meets of the Earl of Harrington’s Hounds there is none more popular than that which for some considerable time has been the advent of the New Year at Priory Flatte, Breadsall, the residence of the Field Master, Mr. H. Crosley, and Saturday’s gathering was no exception. In addition to being exceptionally numerous, too, the field was an excellent class one, and included many Meynell and South Notts. habitues.

After a lengthy grace, during which Mr. Crosley displayed his customary hospitality, a move was made to Chaddesden Wood, hard by the trysting place. From the artificial earth therein Mr. Crosley’s terrier, Bobby, bolted a brace of foxes, and one of them hounds raced away in the direction of Locko Park. After getting over the Chaddesden and Morley Road, Reynard swung to the right and by Breadsall village, and then accentuating his right-handed bearing, recrossed the Chaddesden and Morley Road, and made his way back to Chaddesden Wood. He did not check there long, and got off a long way in front of hounds. Thence-forward the pace slackened, the chase proceeding out over the Derby and Mansfield turnpike and across the Great Northern Railway well on for Broomfield. Thereabouts the fox swung to the left, and was pointing for Breadsall Moor when scent gave out just before the Breadsall and Smalley Mill Road had been reached.

After the Mill Plantation at Breadsall had been tried in vain, a return visit was paid to Chaddesden Wood, but it was now void. In Chaddesden Old Gorse hounds seemed to speak to a fox, but they were unable to make anything tangible out. Birchwood, on the Morley side of Locko Park, Spondon Waste Wood, and Piggin Wood, near Ockbrook, were also drawn blank, prior to an excellent fox being disturbed in the prolific Waterloo Covert at Hopwell, and a magnificent gallop ensued.

Making his way through the adjoining Swiss Hut Cover and over the brook, the fresh pilot, discarding Dale Hills on his left, led the chase by Boyah Grange Farm and over No Man’s Lane to Baggaley’s Hills. From there he was hunted over the Stanton-by-Dale and Dale Abbey Road, and through Furnace Plantation in the direction of Ladywood. Bearing to the right he made his way to Stanton Gorge, and thence he was hunted out in a line between Stanton-by-Dale village and the ironworks. Wheeling round right handed hereabouts, the fox proceeded in a line between Stanton-by-Dale village to Stanton Gorge, and careering over the garden allotments and through Barn Wood, got back over the Stanton-by-Dale and Dale Abbey Road into Baggaley’s Hills again. From there the chase proceeded over No Man’s Lane again, by Risley Park Farm and across the Hopwell Brook to Bluebell Cover, on the Hopwell Estate, where the fox saved his brush by getting to ground. With darkness approaching nothing in the way of digging operations were resorted to.

It had been a splendid spin, the time occupied being near 1 hour and 20 minutes. The pace was uniformly good, and with the going heavy few horses were able to last it out to the finish. There were many falls, too, during the course of the gallop, but no accidents of a serious nature occurred.

📚 Sources

• Type: newspaper
  Title: South Notts Echo
  Date: 1921-01-08