By RUTH LOGNONNE

Published at 09:39, Friday, 27 November 2009

THE bugle’s cry could be heard across the South Tyne as rural folk gathered to celebrate 200 years of one of the country’s most historic hunts.

Historic hunt: The Haydon Hunt celebrates its 200th anniversary with a meet at Langley Castle.

Despite torrential conditions, more than 85 followers of the Haydon Hunt took to the field on Wednesday following a meet at Langley Castle.

It’s the first time the hunt has met outside the medieval tower house for several years – but on Wednesday it was celebrating its own slice of history.

The Haydon first pitted hound against fox on November 25,1809, on the vast Greenwich Hospital estates, where riders killed a fox in the open after a hunt of some three hours.

The fruit of their efforts, stuffed and mounted in a glass case with appropriate inscription, remains today as testimony to this event.

The pack, at that time, hunted both hare and fox and were ‘trencher-fed’ by local farmers, each responsible for a couple of hounds.

Although the pack was not kennelled together in the 19th century, the members based their headquarters at the Anchor Inn, at the southern end of the old stone bridge spanning the River South Tyne at Haydon Bridge.

Since 1971, the Haydon hounds have been kennelled at Settlingstones, near Newbrough, on the site of a former witherite mine.

Master of the foxhounds, Heather McDonald, said that despite the wind and rain everyone had fun on Wednesday – and even a few youngsters bunked off school to join in the chase!

She said: “We covered about six miles and there were no major accidents despite the ground being very wet.”

She added that the meet was followed by a celebration at the Anchor where it all started 200 years ago.

The Haydon country straddles the river South Tyne during much of its length, running from Fourstones westwards to the county’s boundary with Cumbria.

It adjoins the Bewcastle and North Tyne hunts to the west and north and the Tynedale and Braes of Derwent hunts to the east and south.

It is a large and remarkably unspoiled stone-wall country requiring versatile hounds with stamina and a sure-footed horse at home on heather or grass.

The Haydon currently hunts three days a week, however Mondays are usually on foot.

Since the inception of the Hunting with Dogs Act, which became law in February 2005, the Haydon continues to hunt within the legal constrictions imposed – following artificial trails laid by volunteer members and attempting, as far as possible, to simulate the real thing.

“Since the ban we’ve become a bigger field,” said Mrs McDonald. “The Haydon is absolutely thriving so the ban hasn’t done us any harm in that respect.

“We always set off with the intention of hunting within the law, but obviously sometimes a fox gets up and there’s not a lot you can do.

“We’ve always received huge support from local farmers, without whom, we wouldn’t be able to hunt.”

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk