Discover the history of Quantock Hunting, written by a volunteer as part of the Quantock Landscape Partnership Project
People and Wildlife on the Quantocks
The relationship between the local population and wildlife on the Quantocks spreads over centuries. Covering 38 square miles this significant area was used historically for deer tracking. Deer were the original quarry of early settlers, the capture of which ensured the community would survive through the provision of food and hides.
The origins of country activities are generally based on necessity at the time. It could then be said that from that necessity social protocols or customs were then developed. Historically, it’s difficult to determine at which point social protocol outweighed necessity.
Enclosure Acts
‘Enclosure’ describes various ways in which landholdings were consolidated or extended into larger units, including for example the partition of large areas of communally farmed land into small fields farmed by individuals. The many Enclosure Acts (began in medieval times) gained momentum from c.1750, the rationale for which varied from efficient food production to more personal reasons. A good example is that of local landowner Viscount Bolingbrook or “Bully” to his friends, farming the area of Kings’ Sedgemoor. “Bully” strove to enclose the commons to pay off his enormous gambling debts. The committee chairman overseeing the request appeared to be a friend of his, using his nickname: “Bully,” he wrote, “has a scheme of enclosure which, if it succeeds, I am told will free him of all his difficulties.”
For those agricultural workers impacted by enclosure, life was harsh. The Black Act of 1723 ensured that poaching was a capital offence. It remained on the statute book for 100 years replaced by a punishment of deportation.
Arguably the most significant legislation was the General Enclosure Act of 1801. This enabled landowners to enclose their land without a prior Parliamentary Act, as had previously been the case. However, parts of the Quantocks continue to benefit from common grazing rights.
Game Laws
As land became enclosed and food production became more efficient, centuries of deer tracking on the Quantocks gave way to fox hunting which grew popular during the Victorian era. (Notwithstanding the oldest fox hunt was established in 1668 in Yorkshire). Fox hunting didn’t require as much land and was seen as more time efficient. During 1753 a new breed of hunting dog was introduced – the hounds we know today. Now fox hunting is illegal, it was banned by the Hunting Act 2004.
For Victorians Game laws were introduced in 1831 to provide clarity and order, whereby a license must be given to allow hunts to take place.
Country pursuits were given a huge boost by the introduction of the railway, both in terms of people travelling at speed and the movement of livestock. People could travel from London or Bristol to participate, and hounds and horses were transported up and down the country, opening a new market for livestock commerce.
Quantock Hunts
The archives have a rich supply of letters to Colonel Luttrell (Master of the West Somerset Hunt covering the Quantocks) and papers documenting the hunts that took place between 1843 and 1860.
The country gentleman’s newspaper, The Field, specifies the Quantock hunt and its officials in the 30 October 1875 edition:
Master of the hunt (West Somerset) – Colonel Lutterell
Huntsman – Henry Seabright
Whip – John Woodley and John Barge
The kennels were located at Bowerhayes , Carham, Dunster (Colonel’s family seat)
Horses and Hounds for the Quantock hunts were sometimes bought or rented from an organisation based at number 7 Golden Square London. This area is part of Soho. In 1889 the Square was classified by Charles Booth’s London survey as occupied by those in the middle income. Occupations were trades and some professionals. Number 7 was occupied by a series of solicitors until 1907.
The letters and invoices sent from this address to the Colonel demonstrates how commercial hunting had become – it was no longer an activity of necessity.
In 1859 the folks at 7 Golden Square sent a letter of demand for payment to the Colonel. He had bought a chestnut gelding for £68.00 for which he paid in full. The concern was that he failed to pay for delivery – £4 3shillings for the transportation via the railway. The Colonel believed that was not the deal, while the horse traders felt differently.
Regarding hounds, the Colonel bought sire and mother at auctions in Abingdon and transported them via train. The hounds were called Romeo, Benedict, Abigail and Almarose and cost £9 9 shillings.
Each season a Hunting List was created which documented information on each hunt.
For example, between October and May 1829/29:
• 70 meets were scheduled with a list of the locations, which were Bagborough House, Aisholt Wood, Buncombe Bottom, Langham Break and Wick Park
• The names of the hounds
• The number of foxes killed, 17
• The number of foxes earthed (escaped into tunnels), 6
• The number of cancelled events due to weather, 5
Annual costs for 34 weeks 1829/30 included a cost for managing the horses of £84.60. With other costs totaling £477 for the season. Interestingly in 1881 the Inland Revenue sent a tax bill to the Colonel for payment £17 15 shillings for the keeping of 50 hounds.
As Master of Subscriptions also, the Colonel had a bit of trouble getting hunt members to pay up. Subscriptions were paid directly into the Somersetshire Bank in Bridgwater, and it is to this bank the Colonel sought confirmation of non-payees. In 1859 the hunt funds were around £500 short to cover the costs. Payment of subscriptions from members seems to be an ongoing issue with many letters sent requesting full payment and several replies explaining why full payments could not be made. The correspondence conveys the Colonel’s frustration at his seemingly limited support. In the end he approached all people of significance in the area to request financial support, with one even agreeing to pay although they did not hunt.
The picture of hunting throughout the Victorian era is that it became an increasingly commercial enterprise where legal and financial requirements needed to be met.
Information taken from DD/L/3/3/6, DD/L/3/4/2, British History online (Golden Square & Charles Booth) and Quantock Deer Conservation Group
