The Ludlow Hunt in Caynham

Compiled by: Rupert Inglesant, 17th September 2003

Brief History of the Ludlow Hunt (1760 – 1885)

Foxhunting in the countryside surrounding the Ludlow area has been carried out in a formal fashion since about 1760. Mr Childe of Kinlet established a pack of hounds at about this time, and which operated until 1780. Mr Childe is famous in the annals of Foxhunting history because of the dashing fashion in which he crossed the countryside on a horse. The Hunt Supporters’ Club emblem is a depiction of Mr Childe riding down the Titterstone Cleehill at speed. His style and verve for riding across country in this fashion led to his being referred to as ‘Flying Childe’. In 1780, Mr Childe took his style of riding behind hounds to Leicestershire, and along with a number of other gentlemen at that time; they are accredited with development of the sport of foxhunting, (i.e., following the hounds across country, taking obstacles and fences as they came).

Prior to this time foxhunting would have been an informal and local affair, carried out by pretty much anyone who had a dog.

After Mr. Childe departed for Leicestershire, foxes were not formally hunted in the area around Ludlow until Mr Adams of Ludlow registered a pack. At this period in history, and generally until after World War One, a pack of fox hounds was maintained by a local landowner, totally at his own expense, and often at his home. Each hunt was autonomous, although disputes were settled and some rules drawn up through the membership of The Boodles Club, London. This was a gentleman’s Club, to which the vast majority of Masters of Foxhounds during the 19th Century belonged.

Mr Adams retired in 1820, and the Country became vacant until 1831, when Messrs Pardoe, Dansey and Stubbs formed a Joint Mastership and hunted the Country until 1841. Lord Gifford took over from them for one Season, before Mr Stubbs took the Mastership on his own. Mr Stubbs remained in office until 1854, and it was during this time that the pack became recognised through The Boodles Club as ‘The Ludlow Hunt’.

Messrs Sitwell and Wicksted, and Major Murray each spent time as Masters after 1854, and the Hounds during this time were kennelled at Wetmore, near Onibury.

In 1886, Sir William Curtis, Baronet, of Caynham Court, became Master, and so began the connection between Caynham village and The Ludlow Hunt.

Brief History of the Ludlow Hunt (1886 - 2003)

The extent of the Country hunted from this time has effectively remained unaltered. Incorporating an area of about ten miles radius to Ludlow town, the boundary runs from Craven Arms below the Wenlock Edge to Rushbury. Following a line across the northern end of the Corvedale and over the top of the Brown Cleehill, past Burwarton, Farlow, and Oreton to Cleobury Mortimer. From here the boundary goes to Clowes Top, Eardiston, Kyre, Bockleton, Leysters, Brimfield and Leominster, before turning northwest along the line of the river Lugg, through Aymestrey and Wigmore, to Leintwardine, Aston-on-Clun and Craven Arms. Effectively a Country this size permitted hounds to go out hunting four days a week during the Season.

Sir William was the fourth Baronet and inherited the Caynham estate at the age of ten. He had an inherent interest in hounds and hunting, and this interest was developed during his time at Eton and Oxford University. He was Master and Huntsman for a time to both the Eton College Beagles and the Christ Church Beagles (1880 - 1882). It has always been a tradition that during the holiday period, the ‘boy’ Master of these packs would take the Beagles home with him and hares. Sir William certainly brought the Christ Church to Caynham, and they were probably kennelled with the gundogs at the Keeper’s Cottage on Catholic Hill, opposite Caynham Court. In 1882, he returned home from university and promptly set up his own pack of Beagles, presumably securing drafts from Eton, Christ Church and other beagle packs. The pack were known as the Caynham Beagles, and Sir William kept them going for four Seasons until he became Master and Huntsman to the Ludlow Hunt in 1886.

Sir William was succeeded in the Mastership by a relative through marriage, Mr Fred Millbank. His 21-year tenure as Master was undoubtedly a highly successful and key period in the history of the Ludlow Hunt. He was acknowledged to possess an extraordinary and instinctive ability to hunt hounds and was a popular and daring Master. His was a distinguished career in the annals of hunting.

There was a succession of Masters and Joint Masterships up until the Second World War, including many notable local personalities: Messrs H Allcroft, J Charleton, G Godson, J Gold, G Coldwell, J Demege, Major H Meredith, Captain W Ockelston, Lieutenant-Colonel D Kennedy. From 1932 – 1937, the latter was Joint Master with the first lady Master to the Ludlow Hunt, Miss Mary Kennedy. This was a reflection of the growing number of women who began hunting in the first half of the 20th Century, and generally speaking since the middle of the last Century there have been as many, if not more women following hounds on horses than men.

The Ludlow Hunt ceased hunting during the first two years of the First World War, but the Hounds and some horses and staff were retained, and hunting was resumed on a limited basis in 1916.

In 1932 the County was divided into two parts. Sir Edward Rouse-Boughton of Downton Hall established the North Ludlow, his hounds being kennelled at his home. This pack hunted the northern portion of the Ludlow Country on two days a week. The Ludlow Hunt remained kennelled at Caynham, and hunted two days a week in the southern half of the County.

In 1939, Sir Edward began active service in the Army and the two packs were re-united. Hunting continued throughout the Second World War, albeit on a reduced level, and during this time a committee ran the Hunt.

In 1944, Captain Ronnie Wallace became Master, and the Ludlow Hunt began another tremendous era.

Captain Wallace’s family lived for a time at Eardiston and then at Whitton Paddocks and had helped keep the Hunt going through the War, and so his arrival as Master and Huntsman was a natural development. As an aside, his younger brother Lindsay, helped run the operation and he was instrumental by developing access across the country. Lindsay and his team of helpers put in most of the wicket gates and fences in the Caynham area.

During Captain Wallace’s Mastership, and at various times there were up to four packs of hounds kennelled at Caynham. Apart from the Ludlow Hounds, on occasions there were the Eton Beagles, (A return to the Ludlow Country for this beagle pack, as their ancestors would have been brought here by Sir William Curtis.) Teme Valley Hounds (Captain Wallace hunted this country for one season) and the Hawkstone Otter Hounds (which Captain Wallace hunted during the summer months.) It must have been a very busy few years, and is a great testament to Captain Wallace, his family, the local farmers and landowners, and of course to the staff at the kennels.

Captain Wallace is undoubtedly the Ludlow Hunt’s most famous son. He went on to become a foxhunting legend in his own lifetime. He had a tremendous instinct for hunting the fox and had an almost spiritual relationship with his hounds. Nevertheless, it was his organisational qualities that stood him in particular good stead. He went on to hunt the Cotswold, the Heythrop and the Exmoor hunts, and was a longstanding Chairman and later President to the Master’s of Foxhounds Association, the governing body of foxhunting.

His time at the Ludlow also saw a number of other great characters begin an association with the Ludlow Hunt.

Charles Parker was educated with Captain Wallace at Eton, but this was a man who preferred to hunt on his feet and his ability as a terrierman was uncanny and renowned. He lived in the Stables Flat, but his place in Captain Wallace’s team was fixed, and he went to the Cotswold with the Captain. George Knight was Kennel Huntsman at this time and lived in the stone cottage on the drive entrance to the kennels.

Harry Evans looked after the horses, and this began an association between the Evans family and the Ludlow Hunt and foxhunting that continues to this day. Originally Harry was Stud groom to the Curtis family, and then fulfilled the same appointment to the Kennedy’s of The Lodge, Overton during their Mastership of the Hunt. He also acted as Whipper-in to both the Ludlow Hounds and the Hawkstone. His children assisted Harry with the work about the hunt stables: Leonard, Harry, (now living in the Stone Cottage by the Serpent Covert,) John, Minnie (now Mrs Genner of Stonehouse Farm), and Alice, who in turn each attended Caynham school.

Harry Evans Senior passed away in 1948, but after service in the Army Leonard returned to the Hunt and was subsequently taken on as professional Huntsman during the second part of the Mastership of Dorothy, Lady Rouse-Boughton and Miss Mary Rouse Boughton, and during Brigadier Stephenson’s Mastership. Prior to this he had helped about the Stables and Kennels, working with Tom Tench, whose large family still live in the area. (One of Tom’s daughters, Margaret Rogers, works for the local veterinary practice, Teme Vets.) Leonard retired from the Hunt in 1978. He now lives with his wife ‘Marge’ by Henley Hall, where he has been Stud groom to Captain and Mrs Lumsden.

Leonard has three children: Geoffrey, Richard and Jennifer. All three have maintained their families’ involvement with horses. Geoff now lives at Lowbridge Farm, Bitterley and trains point-to-point racehorses, and Richard is currently 1st Whipper-in and Kennel Huntsman to the South Shropshire Hunt.

Sir Hugh Arbuthnot, of Nash, was a great friend of Captain Wallace’s, and like him had developed a natural ability with Hounds. In fact, many people suggest that of the two Sir Hugh was the better huntsman. Having acted as an amateur Whipper-in to captain Wallace, Sir Hugh became Master and Huntsman in 1948 when Captain Wallace moved to the Cotswold. Charlie Gosden, from a family rich in hunting background, was Sir Hugh’s 1st Whipper-in and Kennel Huntsman.

Sir Hugh Arbuthnot, of Nash, was a great friend of Captain Wallace’s, and like him had developed a natural ability with Hounds. In fact, many people suggest that of the two Sir Hugh was the better huntsman. Having acted as an amateur Whipper-in to captain Wallace, Sir Hugh became Master and Huntsman in 1948 when Captain Wallace moved to the Cotswold. Charlie Gosden, from a family rich in hunting background, was Sir Hugh’s 1st Whipper-in and Kennel Huntsman.

During Sir Hugh’s Mastership, another local relationship with the Hunt developed. Miss Meg St. George, now living at The Old Smithy, but then farming at The Bower, began hunting with the Ludlow. Her support and work for the Hunt over the years has been phenomenal. She was instrumental in developing the Hunt Lamb Scheme, which helped raise funds for the Hunt, and in which many local farmers have taken part. The Scheme continues today and has raised many thousands of pounds. Miss St. George is currently President of the Hunt Supporters’ Club.

Another great local hunting personality, and great friend of Miss St George and Mr and Mrs Genner of the Stonehouse Farm, was the Caynham Parish parson for the period either side of the Second World War: Parson Rider. He was an especially brave rider across country, and frightened many people who might try and take a lead from him. He had one particularly good grey coloured horse, Popgun, which he transported in an old lorry. On any journey the side door to the lorry was left open and the horse travelled with his head sticking out so that he could see where he was going. The Parson was a huge and very popular character and lived at The Vicarage.

Sir Hugh followed Captain Wallace to the Cotswold Hunt in 1952, and the longstanding relationship between the Rouse-Boughton’s and the Ludlow Hunt was developed further when Dorothy, Lady Rouse-Boughton and Miss Mary Rouse-Boughton became Masters, initially retaining the services of Charlie Gosden as professional Huntsman.

In all, Lady Rouse-Boughton and Miss Mary stayed as Masters for 21 years, the same period as Sir William Curtis, although Mrs Edwards joined them in the Mastership between 1969 and 1972. Alan Hopkins, and then Dick Deakin followed Charlie Gosden as professional Huntsmen. (Dick’s son William was born at the Kennels, and he is currently the very successful Huntsman to the Warwickshire Hunt.) Leonard Evans followed Dick Deakin.

The Rouse-Boughton Mastership is remembered with great affection and was undoubtedly a successful period for the Hunt. Brigadier Stephenson followed them as Master, and he is remembered as a real gentleman, and was held in high regard by all who met him, and especially by the farmers in the Country.

Messrs Beeston and Lycett-Green spent short periods independently as Joint Masters and Huntsmen. One of their Joint Masters was Miss Gerry Harrison, now Mrs Gerry Birt who lives in Tenbury Wells and still follows the Hunt, albeit in a car. Gerry was the most popular element of the Mastership during this period, although the fortunes of the Hunt had slid from the previous successful period. The Rouse-Boughton’s retained great influence and in order to restore the Hunt’s fortunes they asked Mr David Palmer to become Master and Huntsman. Mr Palmer, a Worcestershire farmer, had formerly hunted the Wyre Forest Beagles and the Clifon-upon-Teme Foxhounds, and his thirteen years at the Ludlow regained some of the stability that the Hunt had lost in the late 1970’s. Mr Andrewes from Eastham joined the Mastership, and Mrs Frances Meier also joined in the early 1990’s. Mr Andrewes is now the Hunt Chairman, and combines this duty with that of vice-Chairman to the Countryside Alliance.

Mr Palmer had a number of different Kennel Huntsman, but the only two still resident in this part of the world are: Paul Russell and Goff Berry. Paul began a successful business building horseboxes, and Goff and his family live at Ludford.

In 1996, Captain Rupert Inglesant came from the Tedworth Hunt in Wiltshire as sole Master and Huntsman. He lives at the Kennels with his wife Caroline. Rupert comes from a farming background in the east Midlands. His father was Secretary to the Quorn Hunt for many years. Rupert has hunted extensively in Leicestershire and for a time in Devon. He served for ten years in the Army, during which time he hunted in Wiltshire, before spending three years as Master and Huntsman to the Tedworth. He now has two Joint Masters, Mrs ‘Scilla Kennedy from Neen Sollars and Mr Karl Creamer from Aymestrey. ‘Scilla has an impeccable hunting background, that began on the other side of the River Severn with the Albrighton Hunt, to which she was Secretary for some years. She subsequently married Mr Patrick Kennedy, and became Secretary to the Ludlow, before joining the Mastership. Her husband unfortunately passed away during his tenure as Hunt Chairman. Karl, from Liverpool, and a former professional ice-hockey player does not have an impeccable hunting background. An electrical engineer by trade he is now a successful businessman and has married and settled in the Ludlow Country.

The current Kennel Huntsman and Hunt terrier man is David Finlay, and the Whipper-in is Sam Staniland, both of whom live at the Kennels.

The Kennels Property and Hunt Kennels in Caynham Parish

At some point the Ludlow Hounds were kennelled near the Ledwyche Brook somewhere adjacent to The Sheet. However, there are scant details about when or exactly where this was. Nevertheless, it is not improbable that Sir William Curtis might have used these facilities, either for the Eton College or Christ Church Beagles if these Kennels were in operation for the Ludlow Hounds prior to 1870, or he may have constructed some temporary kennels here when he first became Master of the Ludlow that served to kennel the Ludlow Hounds during an interim period between moving from Onibury to the present Kennels.

Records do indicate that he kept Beagles on Catholic Hill, in the same kennels that would have been used by the estate Game Keeper for the gundogs. The ruins of this property remain today.

Baileys Hunting Directory records that: the Ludlow Hounds moved from Kennels near Onibury, (where they had been since 1853,) to Caynham in 1890. Sir William became Master of the Ludlow in 1886. Although I have found no records to indicate exactly when the Kennels were first constructed on their present site, one can perhaps assume that Sir William began planning and constructing these Kennels soon after he became Master, having reached an agreement with his predecessors for the Hounds to remain at Onibury during the interim period.

The Kennels are situated on the north of the lane to Ashford Carbonell, quarter of a mile west of Caynham Bridge, and adjacent to Ladyfield Farm. During the 1890’s the whole area would have been tenanted farmland and part of the Caynham Court estate. Sir William would have negotiated terms with the tenant of the time to release the ground from that farm tenancy for the kennels property to be constructed. The kennels property would have been retained under the ownership of the estate, and the basic layout has remained pretty much unaltered since 1890.

The property consists of about 7½ acres and originally had four constituent parts:

1. On the roadside, nearest to Ladyfield Farm are the Stables, with barns, a flat and one brick cottage

2. On the roadside, beyond the Stables is a green gabled stone cottage

3. This cottage is linked to the kennels via a drive, and the kennels are set back from the road by about 125 yards and include outbuildings and another brick cottage

4. On the roadside, by The Serpent Coppice another green gabled stone cottage

As such the Kennels property remained part of the Caynham Court estate, until it passed into the ownership of Mrs Constance Mabel Harrison. Mrs Harrison lived at Caynham Cottage, and was the eldest daughter of the fourth Baronet, by his first wife.

In 1946, Mrs Harrison sold the Kennels property, less for the stone cottage by the Serpent Coppice, to the Trustees of the Ludlow Hunt. At this time these were:

1. Captain JWD Evans of Stoke

2. Lieutenant Colonel EG Wallace of Whitton Paddocks

3. Lieutenant Colonel EA Fielden of Court of Hill

The land was sold for the princely sum of £1,500, although Mrs Harrison and her descendants originally retained a first claim to purchase back the property at the same sum, should the Hunt wish or move. In the 1980’s, Mrs Harrison subsequently agreed that this claim could be removed from the original deeds of conveyance, and the Trustees to the Hunt now have complete control over the property.

Although not sold to the Hunt in 1946, the cottage by the Serpent Coppice continued to be occupied by staff employed by the Hunt for some years. (Interestingly, this cottage has very similar features to the stone cottage at the drive entrance to the kennels.) Mrs Harrison sold the former cottage to Mr Harry Evans who still lives there.

The Hunt, therefore required more accommodation and during the early part of Dorothy Rouse-Boughton and Miss Mary Rouse-Boughton’s mastership (1952 – 1973), and under the direction of Hunt Trustee Eden Wallace, a brick cottage was built on the roadside between the Stables and drive entrance to the kennels.

I am not certain when the property was put on to mains water supply, but the original rights for water are quite interesting. The quantity of water required around a Hunt Kennels is phenomenal, and securing suitable water supplies therefore vital.

The kennels and presumably the stone cottage were fed from a natural well, situated ¼ of a mile away, on the hill above the kennels and beyond Charlton’s Coppice, (the small woodland that is now more generally referred to as the Kennels Covert), and now under the ownership of the Small family at Steventon/Ladyfield. The well, and the pipe to the kennels run across what was part of Vigrove Farm.

The Stables on the other hand were received water from a different source, and presumably this was because the well could not guarantee to supply both locations with enough water. The water supply for the Stables came from the Ledwyche brook. A millrace was built from the weir below Poughnhill Farm to a Ram pump situated behind The Mill. The Ram moved the water across the Ledwyche and up to the Stables.

The kennels and stables have all had various works carried out over the years, in order to adapt them to the needs of the incumbents at the time. For instance, for many years the flesh-house, (the facilities used to dispose of fallen stock from the farmers) was sited beyond the kennels in the northwest corner of the property. It is now incorporated in the buildings to the rear of the kennels. The brick cottage at the kennels has sadly not been occupied for many years, but currently served as a store for tools and equipment, and as a valet room for the Hunt Livery. During the Second World War, it was used to house refugees from Liverpool, and this must have been a real cultural shock to these people. The kennels themselves are brick built, but for many years the yards were surrounded by corrugated tin. Although some tin still remains in places, generally this has been replaced by breezeblocks and framed wire mesh. A grass yard for the hounds was once attached to the side of the kennels, but this is now incorporated into paddocks for the horses. Either side of the kennels cottage we now have purpose-built terrier and whelping lodges.