The term Fox-hunting (irrespective of your views thereon) is as inseparable from Melton Mowbray as are Pork Pies. The Market Place is considered to be neutral ground not within the boundary of any particular Hunt, and abutting the territories of the Belvoir, the Cottesmore and the Quorn.
Many famous personages, including royalty, have hunted from here over the last 200 years and the events leading to the well-known expression "Painting the town red" took place in Melton, and much of these times has been recorded by famous artists including John Ferneley, Charlie Johnson Payne ("Snaffles") and Sir Francis Grant.
Famous names are attached to many of the surving hunting boxes and lodgings including Cardigan House, Claret Lodge, The Old Club House, Egerton Lodge, Coventry House, The Manor House, Mowbray Lodge, Wyndham Lodge, Staveley Lodge, Sysonby Lodge, Elgin Lodge, Newport Lodge, North Lodge, The Spinneys, Wicklow Lodge, Warwick Lodge, Quorn Lodge, Craven Lodge, and others as well as sporting hostelries and inns.

Captain Rupert J. Inglesant, MFH

The Atherstone Hunt has been in existence since 1815 when the kennels were established at Witherley and have been there ever since. In those days the hounds were able to hunt six days a week, but there has been a vast change in this part of England and urbanisation has devoured a great deal of countryside, therefore it is now only considered safe to hunt on two days per week, these being Tuesday and Saturday.
MEETS For information contact: Jt Hon Secs: (2003) Mrs A James, Cottage Farm, Moathouse Lane, Shustoke, Warwicks B46 2RH (tel: 01675 481028); (2004) Mrs R Pollard, 26 Grange Close, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire LE62 5PQ (tel: 01530 412490).

The Belvoir Hunt dates from 1750 and, according to "Cecil", became a foxhound pack in 1762. Save during Lord Forester's time (1830-57), the Mastership had always been held by the reigning Duke of Rutland until 1896.
The Belvoir Hunt Supporters' Club with its many members is very active and has interesting merchandise on offer.

The Cottesmore Hunt can trace its origins back more than 300 years. A pack of foxhounds was brought down by road from Lowther Castle in Westmorland by Henry,Viscount Lowther to the East Midlands in 1666. The pack hunted widely in the area, and it was sold in 1695 to Mr Thomas Noel who was the second husband of the widowed Countess of Gainsborough. The Lowther family regained the Mastership in the late 18th century and retained a connection until this century when Lord Lonsdale, the famous "Yellow Earl" was Master of the Cottesmore twice until 1921.
MEETS For information and calendar of meets please go to: http://www.cottesmore-hunt.co.uk/chmeets.html
The History of the Cottesmore Hunt is a fascinating story.

The Fernie Hunt situated in the heart of the shires, is the only one of the five Leicestershire hunts to be contained entirely within the county, and can trace its history back to 1853 when the "Billesdon Country" was separated from the rest of the Quorn Hunt.
MEETS For information please contact The Kennels, Great Bowden, Market Harborough, Leicestershire. (01858) 465372 or Hon Sec: (1989) F B Hill, The Cottage, Hall Lane, Drayton, Leics LE16 8SA (tel: 01858 565239).

The Quorn Hunt founded by Hugh Meynell in 1753, has under its ownership 20 coverts stretching from Kinoulton in Nottinghamshire to Scraptoft near Leicester. Their newest covert is Craven's Rough on Charnwood Forest. The coverts vary in size from as small as 1 acre to the largest which is 38 acres in area. In all the total acreage amounts to well over 200 acres. All of the coverts are protected and maintained by the Quorn ensuring the countryside is a more beautiful place to observe, and is a suitable environment where wildlife, plants and insects can flourish.
The new kennels at Gaddesby Lane, Kirby Bellars, replacing those at Barrow on Soar which had been used for 85 years, were officially opened by Lord Crawshaw during the weekend of 28th - 30th June 1991.
MEETS For information about meets please contact the Hunt Office T. 01664 813661 or the Secretary on 0116 2596694

THE MELTON HUNT CLUB website gives the history of the Club and details of forthcoming events. Colonel James Hanbury, then Master of the Belvoir, was Chairman and Lance Newton, who was the founder and driving force, became Honorary Secretary. Other original members were Dick Black, Jack Drake, Jimmy Elwell, Tim Molony, Claude Manchester and Dr Tom Connors. Described as "one of the most enduring and useful hunting institutions in Leicestershire" (Michael Clayton in his "Foxhunting in Paradise" 1993 John Murray (Publishers) Ltd., ISBN 0-7195-5101 3) the Melton Hunt Club has many members who benefit from the ability to hunt at a reduced cost (even as low as half the usual cap rate). The popular point-to-point course at Garthorpe, near Melton Mowbray is utilised to the full by the Quorn, Cottesmore and Belvoir.
The widow of the late Lance Newton, the Honourable Ursula ("Urky") Newton (daughter of the late Lord J. Arthur Rank (1888-1972) ) is the name always associated with this excellent Club.The present Chairman is Joey Newton, son of Urky and the late Lance. With Joey's hunting and racing background the Club is in excellent hands and retains the Newton family connection. He has hunted in Leicestershire all his life and is a one-time Master of the Belvoir. He won the Aintree Foxhunters twice and Point to Point raced for many years. He is Senior Steward at Liverpool and Stewards at Newmarket and other racecourses. His knowledge of every aspect of country sports is impeccable.

Art.com   have for sale prints of some of Sir Francis Grant's famous paintings - including "The Melton Breakfast" at 89 x 64cm - in choices of framed, mounted, laminated and "Sir Richard Sutton and the Quorn Hounds", many of John Ferneley, Snaffles, George Stubbs, Susan Crawford (we all admire her The Three Kings) and others.

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At The End of The Day Buy From Art.com Stirrup Cup Buy From Art.com The Tollgate Buy From Art.com Going to Cover Buy From Art.com Stanley Barker and the Pytchley Hounds Buy From Art.com Thomas Wilkinson with the Hurworth Buy From Art.com November Morning Buy From Art.com Preparing for the Hunt Buy From Art.com Hounds Buy From Art.com Evening Buy From Art.com Sir Richard Sutton and Quorn Hounds Buy From Art.com The Finest View in Europe Buy From Art.com

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Boxing Day 2002 Andrew & Marcia Hawley at Saxelbye Park	New Year's Day 2003 the Quorn at Melton
Mrs. Rosanne ("Will") Brooks with the Quorn at Hickling	Mrs. Margaret Bissell & son William at Saxelbye Park
KIRBY GATE 2002/03 the first Meet of the Season had an excellent turn-out for 2002/03, and is briefly illustrated from this link.	As we neared the end of the season HOSE VILLAGE had the pleasure of hosting the Duke of Rutland's Hounds on 8th March as you will see from this link.
BELVOIR CASTLE MEET the final Meet of the Season of the Duke of Rutland's Hounds brought a good season to a colourful close.	BELVOIR KENNELS OPEN DAY The Duke of Rutland's Hounds were blessed with a magnificent Sunday of good weather and happy visitors on 15th June 2003.
KIRBY GATE 2003/04 the First Meet of the Season was blessed with excellent weather but slightly hard going after a very hot, dry Summer. The opening is shown from this link.	DECLARATION DAY MEET The joint effort of the Countryside Alliance, Council of Hunting Associations and M.F.H.A. on Saturday 1st November 2003 was a unique moment in foxhunting history. Melton Airfield was the locus for the East Midlands Meet and is shown from this link.
THE QUORN AT GRIMSTON 26 December 2003 The traditional Boxing Day Meet was well attended and graced with good weather. Views of the Meet are shown from this link.
NEW YEAR'S DAY 2004 at MELTON Tradition was maintained for this annual moment albeit there were fewer present for the Meet. The general scene is shown from the above title link
THE DUKE OF RUTLAND's HOUNDS Meet again at Belvoir Castle 27th October 2004. New photographs of the event showing the important participants, the hounds, His Grace, Her Grace the Duchess of Rutland and Huntsman.
THE DUKE OF RUTLAND's HOUNDS Meet at Chadwell 6th November 2004. New photographs of the event and revealing a story line which probably never took place. With apologies to the dramatis personae.
THE QUORN HUNT Christmas Meet 2004 at Hickling - SIGNS OF THE TIMES .
THE COTTESMORE HUNT New Year Opening Meet at Melton - The tradition continues.... .
THE QUORN HUNT met on 5th February 2005 - as war clouds gather..
WILLOUGHBY-ON-THE-WOLDS The Meet on 7th February 2005 - determination grows..
DECLARATION DAY the right for what we will stand
THE QUORN HUNT The Meet on 14th February 2005 at Old Dalby - B-Day -4..
THE POST-HUNTING BAN PARADE Melton Mowbray - 19th February 2005.
BAN OR NO BAN the Quorn opened the new season on 7th October 2005 at the traditional Kirby Gate Meet - this time a trail hunt - with over 200 supporters proving the strength of the determination to carry on and approaching the end of season were still engaged in our beloved sport - this time on 25th February 2006 at HILLSIDE FARM, GRIMSTON.
The last Meet of an excellent season was at Hoby on Saturday 4th March 2006 and we illustrate the happiness pervading a glorious morning and the anticipation of the next!
With the 2006/7 season well under way The Duke of Rutland's Belvoir Estate at Croxton Park was the venue for the Meet on 8th November.
An idyllic day at WALTHAM HOUSE on 6th December 2006 maintained the spirit which is surging in our blood.
And where would we be but for the traditional NEW YEAR'S DAY MEET - Melton Mowbray - to kick off 2007 with a brilliant start.
At HOSE once again - the Duke of Rutland's Hounds - a magnificent turn-out on a brilliant day 24th February 2007 - as the season nears its end.
The Duke of Rutland's Hounds met at The Hall, Goadby Marwood by courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Westropp on Saturday 10th March 2007 - and the season gradually draws to a close.
The Duke of Rutland's Hounds met at BELVOIR CASTLE for the last of the season on 17th March 2007.
THE SEASON 2007-08 - the BELVOIR HUNT in pictures: 15 Meets illustrated on this dedicated page.

Being ideally located for all disciplines of horse riding, Julia also accepts liveries for hunting, competition (dressage, showjumping and eventing) or a general livery for those who only want to ride along our miles of off-road hacking. 24 hour supervision ensuring security and welfare for your horse is just part of the high standard of care offered. Horses can be turned out daily depending on requirements as there are many acres of excellent pasture to hand.

Belvoir Hounds

Melton Carnegie Museum is the intended locus for the project Foxhunting Past, Present and Future under the aegis of The Museum of Hunting Trust which will be a virtual exhibition covering the entire subject controversial and otherwise.
A spur to this is the recent (May 2005) Heritage Lottery Fund's award of £50,000.