Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2015 i The Field

An ecological and environmental project to restore a North Yorkshire river has attracted the attention of HRH The Prince of Wales. A decade ago very few salmon were caught on the River Ure; now anglers are catching salmon over 20lb following a project started six years ago by The Ure Salmon Trust. Last year along a stretch of the Ure from Aysgarth Falls in the west to Boroughbridge in the east more than 300 sizeable fish were landed. The 35lb fish landed in 2012 by Ure Salmon Trust river manager David Bamford has just been mounted in a case in the White Bear in Masham. The fish died of natural causes during the post-spawning kelt reconditioning phase. The Prince of Wales met members of the Ure Salmon Trust, riparian owners,…

FOX MAT TURTLE MAT A skulk of Charlies to welcome you home. Price £50 Tel 0345 600 3478 www.turtlemat.co.uk COUNTRY SHIRT, THE OXFORD SHIRT COMPANY Available in tailored fit for those who resist shoot-lunch pudding. Price £50 Tel 01993 822298 www.oxfordshirt.co.uk PRINTED FENLAND BR2 JACKET, MUSTO Packable and lightweight with subtle tweed print. Essential kit. Price from £199 Tel 01268 495824 www.musto.com APRON THORNBACK & PEEL Pheasant-and-oak-print cotton to accompany game dishes. Price £25 Tel 020 7831 2878 www.thornbackandpeel.co.uk EVERHOT 100 EVERHOT Energy efficient in sage green. Just add stews. Price £6,995 Tel 01453 890018 www.everhot.co.uk ULTIMATE FIELD TROUSERS ORVIS Dark-khaki cotton go-anywheres. At home in bush, bracken or barn. Price £139 Tel 0333 400 4177 www .orvis.co.uk ANTI-CORROSIVE GUN SLIP FUR FEATHER & FIN NASA technology keeps barrels (up…

IT is the housing politics of envy when a wealthy homeowner complains about his wealthier neighbour’s plans to make his house even bigger and better than it already is. These are very much first-world, or super-prime, planning problems. Oligarchs, bankers, film stars and tech titans cannot under stand why they cannot put a cinema the size of the Odeon or a tennis court and a gym in their London basements – after all, you won’t be able to see them – even if the work shakes your neighbours’ properties to their very foundations, or means dust and rubble in the street outside for months on end. A London street in Mayfair or Belgravia may have limited potential for upward or sideways movement in terms of extensions; an alternative, rather than…

BOTTON Head is an enchanting upland sporting estate of 2,500 acres lying a few miles south of Low Bentham in Lancashire, to the northern edge of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Cumbria-Lancashire-Yorkshire march. The heather moorland, blanket bog, deep cloughs, wooded valleys, rushy pastures and the traditionally farmed wild-flower meadows form a haven for bird life. The unspoilt and richly diverse landscape, which has Site of Special Scientific Interest as well as Special Protection Area designation, attracts a wide range of summer migrants – curlew, lapwing, oystercatcher, snipe, redshank, ring ouzel, whinchat, stonechat and pied flycatcher, while the heather moorland of the fells, running up to 1,800ft, is an important habitat for red grouse, hill partridges, hen harriers and merlin. The estate has belonged…

IT may be the age thing but during this past season I became increasingly aware of just how badly some shoots are run. Like a lot of things these days, it’s called change. A friend admonished me for my observations after we had both participated in a particularly bad day. It was not, he told me, a question of a drop in standards; it was a change in standards and I had better get used to it. He may be right but some things do rankle and you do not have to be a senior shot to feel “rankled”. I have come to terms with people turning up without a tie, wearing a funny hat, dressed as a tramp with dirty boots and shoes from their last outing. Last year,…

ETIQUETTE is often derided as an outmoded and even discriminatory affectation, something to be mocked rather than admired. Why did poor Julia Roberts have to spend hours learning about salad forks before an evening of fine dining with Richard Gere in Pretty Woman? Why indeed, when her supposed Prince Charming then insisted on ordering escargots on her behalf? But the word does not cover convention alone, it also signifies good manners and a code of conduct still recognised as useful. Most organisations have such a code, and hunting is no exception. Hunting manners are rooted in common sense and should add to your enjoyment of the sport. They are certainly no barrier to entry; indeed, hunt followers who attended their first meet in a basket saddle can be as likely…

AS I turned down a third dead end in search of the quay, the minutes to my 5am deadline were fast ticking away. “Don’t be late or we’ll go without you,” Carl Knight, captain of the Lonely C, had said more than once. His instructions might have been clear but his directions were terrible. Or maybe it was me. Emsworth is a lovely port on the south coast, between Portsmouth and Chichester. It was once the heart of the English oyster fishing industry. Three million oysters a year made their way to market until 1902, when, at a banquet hosted by the Dean of Winchester, the guests were struck down with food poisoning, the Dean dying of typhoid. Sewage flowing out from the town was found to be the cause…

FOR a snapshot of social history, football teams’ nicknames can offer a great insight into what has shaped an area. Northampton’s “Cobblers” refers to the town’s shoemaking heritage, while Reading’s side has a long-gone biscuit factory to thank for the moniker “Biscuit Men”. And Walsall FC holds the title of the “Saddlers” because of a tradition of saddle-making and leatherwork. However, this is one association that hasn’t been confined to history. The West Midlands town has more saddlers and leather goods makers than any other place in northern Europe. “It is testament to the name that Walsall leather goods have, especially its saddles, that it still holds this position,” says David Mills from Walsall Leather Museum. “It’s in the blood. Generations of families here have been involved in the trade.”…

MENTION freemen and livery companies and apocryphal tales rain down on the City of London – dodgy handshakes, bizarre rituals, feasting on swans and the right to sell your wife to the Bishop of Bath and Wells on his birthday. The reality is a lot more prosaic. Well, most of it anyway. Amid the myths, freemen and their rights and responsibilities do come with pomp and ceremony and a jolly good excuse to dress up and crack open a decent claret. Around 1,800 men and women a year become freemen of the City of London in ceremonies in the Chamberlain’s Court at Guildhall, with many presented by their livery company. If you wanted to map the City of London’s social history you could do worse than study the evolution of…

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT? Q We have sporting prints that we thought would be fun to use as cards but have been told by friends that they might have a copyright. They are old so surely they would not. Can you help? WRM, by email A Normal copyright protection runs for the life of the artist or author plus an extra 70 years after his or her death when it becomes public property and can be used freely by anyone. There are a few exceptions; for example, if the work is anonymous (there is no known creator) then it is deemed an orphan and can be used 50 years from the date it was first made public. You may use someone else’s work by buying the rights or getting permission. Using someone’s…

I HAD rather hoped for a quiet autumn, directing my hardworking team by tablet and with considerable munificence from various exotic locations. Specifically, sun-drenched climes covered in oils or heather-clad hills covered in ticks. The master plan was to gently jazz up most of our bedrooms over the next six to nine months in order to host the occasional residential party of high-end Americans. This, I surmised, might keep The House Fairies fully stocked with Domestos, dusters and illicit swigs of gin and my children in the constant state of idleness and debauchery they have grown to love – or, to give it its full title, University Education. Apart from sucking up to some of my best American clients, I have been assiduously courting English Heritage over the past year…

KATIE O’SULLIVAN’S list of patrons is a who’s who of the racing world, with more big race winning owners and breeders than you can shake a whip at, including the Magniers, Sheikh Mohammed, and the Gainsborough Stud. But when she was a painting-and-pony-mad girl in Ireland, her father would have laid long odds against this ever being the case. “My father said, I’d never earn a living doing art,” she laughs. Despite this, O’Sullivan persisted and went to the prestigious Chelsea School of Art. “People think art school is just a bit of fun, but if you are serious you end up working really hard.” This hard work has led to a diverse portfolio of equestrian and wildlife art. O’Sullivan has also experimented with painting on aluminium foil sheets. As…

The first predatory dinosaur to be sold in Britain is expected to attract interest from European and Asian buyers when it comes up at Summers Place Auctions on 25 November. The allosaurus skeleton extracted recently from the Dana Quarry in Wyoming is expected to fetch £250,000 to £300,000. Measuring up to eight metres (28ft) in length the allosaurus was one of the largest predatory dinosaurs living 155 million to 145 million years ago during the late Jurassic period. The skeleton for sale still retains an articulated skull showing a set of dagger-like teeth. The process of extracting the bones was time-consuming and costly said Errol Fuller, curator of the third Evolution sale. “Once a bone, or a series of bones, is located, the exact position is carefully mapped so that…

1 INVERCASSLEY HOUSE Rosehall, Highland Agents Bell Ingram and Knight Frank Tel 01863 766683 and 0131 222 9600 Guide price £775,000 for the whole This is an 18th-century house on the Cassley and Oykel, which comes with three weeks’ fishing a year on the Oykel. The house has a dedicated rod room. The property is also available in two lots; the first is the house and just under three acres, and the second, the Oykel fishing. 2 CAMDEN FARM Faringdon, Oxfordshire Agent Carter Jonas Tel 01225 747270 Guide price £4.35 million This Oxfordshire farm, on the market for the first time since 1923, faces the River Thames and has associated fishing rights. It includes two detached farmhouses, four cottages and many old and newer farm buildings with development potential; just…

NOW the harvest’s gathered in, what does your shooting diary look like? If there’s acres of white space and a winter of DIY beckons, it’s time to book some days, pronto. But where to go? Undoubtedly, many of the better days have long gone but there’s always the chance of a cancellation, even on the top shoots. What we want from a day differs but, for many, a top pheasant-shoot would have the following qualities: Decent birds, ie between 35yd and 50yd high, on a variety of drives. An absence of artificiality, ie a dearth of wire, release pens, feeders and piles of pheasants running around your feet. A cheerful keeper who’s not too in your face and who has the gumption to change the line and drives if the…

JAMES Purdey & Sons, founded in 1814, is probably the most famous bespoke gunmaking firm in the world, with an international reputation for impeccable craftsmanship. So the opening of a new factory – Purdey calls it “the workshop” – as a centre of excellence is significant for all who value traditional gunmaking. I had visited the old factory at the same Felgate Mews site in Hammersmith several times. Purdey moved there in 1979, having migrated from workshops around Paddington that the firm had occupied since 1900. The Felgate premises, a converted slaughterhouse, were a bit Dickensian and a decision was made to rebuild. In 2011 there was a run-off between architects, with Nash Partners (designers of the new Westley Richards showroom and factory in Birmingham) winning. The idea behind the…

“ NEVER underestimate the importance of soup,” I was told many moons ago by an experienced lodge chef. Now, having cooked for countless shooting, fishing and stalking parties, I can safely say how spot-on this advice was. A hot soup has the ability to bring a smile of relief to even the hardiest of guns coming in from the cold. Soups can be made in advance so are perfect if needed suddenly, quick to dish out and feed a hungry crowd before the main course and will sit happily if the gamekeeper decides to squeeze in an extra drive before lunch. There is a recipe to suit every occasion and type of weather and with the endless variety of flavours and textures there will always be something new to try.…

DESPITE the shorter days and chilly weather there is still much fun to be had outdoors. Not only can you return home with an impressive mixed bag, if you set your sights farther afield you can find other ingredients for a feast. Wild mushrooms, sloes, rose-hips and truffles are available to those in the know and can make a wonderful addition to your autumn cooking. These recipes will give you some ideas regarding what to do when you stumble across wild bounty. PRAWN AND CHANTERELLE BRUSCHETTA WITH VERMOUTH, GARLIC AND PARSLEY Serves 42 tbs balsamic vinegar4 tbs extra virgin olive oil1 tbs olive oil (for frying)100g (3 1/2oz) butter300g (10 1/2oz) chanterellemushrooms, cleaned2 cloves garlic, 1 finely choppedthe other cut in half2 tbs vermouth2 tbs finely chopped parsley150g (5 1/5…

ENGLISH GAME-GUN Price 12,995 incl VAT From Sportarm, The Stables, Prince’s Street, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1TW Tel 01305 268001 www.sportarm.com OUR test gun this month is the product of a collaboration between Sportarm of Dorchester, ASI of Snape, and AYA the Spanish manufacturer. First impressions of this “English” game-gun are of a well-presented, traditionally specified, 6 1/2lb side-by-side made rather striking because of its fine rose-and-scroll engraving. There is more to the project than cosmetics, however. Kevin Phillips of Sportarm notes: “The reason for doing this was to recreate a Twenties-style London sidelock. People who shoot ‘golden age’ guns often find it hard to match the handling characteristics with those recently made. In considering replacement or addition, they seek something that has similar balance and the benefit of modern proofing…

WHAT sport is open to both sexes of any age, professional or amateur, is growing in popularity, requires little personal fitness and receives no newspaper coverage whatsoever? A further clue is the fact that most competitions are oversubscribed, yet prize-money is often little more than the entry fee. Still haven’t guessed? The answer is field trialling. Though the pheasant-shooting season doesn’t really get underway until mid November, the trialling season for retrievers is already approaching its peak with qualifying events for the Retriever Championship taking place the length and breadth of the country. The reason is simple: the 93rd International Gundog League Retriever Championship takes place at Queensberry estate, Dumfries and Galloway on the last day of November and the first two days of December. The first recorded trial, for…

14 OCT-7 EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY EILEEN GRAY Osborne Samuel Gallery, 23a Bruton Street, London W1, tel 020 7493 7939. 14 OCT-7 WORKS BY MILES RICHMOND Messum’s, 28 Cork Street, London, tel 020 7437 5545; www.messums.com. 1 LONDON TO BRIGHTON VETERAN CAR RUN More than 500 pre-1905-manufactured cars take part. For information, visit www.veterancarrun.com. 1-21 EXHIBITION OF WORK BY LYDIA CORBETT Fosse Gallery, The Manor House, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, tel 01451 831319. 4 BASC LADIES NOVICE GAME DAY Ashlack Hall, Cumbria. Fifty-bird day/lunch/loader, £200. Call Geri Buckley on 07739 684555. 7-5 DEC DRAWN International artists at The Gallery at Sculpture by the Lakes, Dorchester, Dorset; www.sculpturebythelakes.co.uk. 8 FFOS LAS COUNTRYSIDE RACE DAY Kidwelly, Dyfed (in aid of the Countryside Alliance). For lunch tickets (£45, includes entry) email rachel-evans@countryside-alliance.org. 13 CHELTENHAM COUNTRYSIDE…

1 TREWHITT ESTATE Thropton Agent Knight Frank Tel 0131 222 9600 Guide price £3 million for the whole Trewhitt is a compact rural estate of farmland and woodland. The land, which was previously all in arable production, is now farmed in grass leys, arable and game crops. There is a high-bird pheasant-shoot. The estate is 327 acres in total and is also available in two lots. 2 PEIGH HILLS FARM Morpeth Agent Strutt & Parker Tel 01670 500870 Guide price £1.1 million for the whole Peigh Hills is a ring-fenced farm close to Morpeth, with a main house, three self-catering holiday cottages, a range of farm buildings and 72 acres of land, including 68 acres of pasture, which could be converted to arable production. For sale as a whole or…

THEY stand at a shoot like dowagers in a palanquin, transporting the observer to a sporting print from the 19th century. But, once they get going, they nose their way though bushes and bracken, accompanied by their owners who need little or no voice to urge on their canine companions. Welcome to the serene and sporting world of the clumber spaniel. Here is a breed of dog that, after the war, was all but extinct. But since the establishment in 1984 of the Working Clumber Spaniel Society there are now a hundred or more clumbers working in the shooting field. Those who own them swear by their ability, particularly on rough-shoots, to find and flush game and to retrieve tenderly to hand. What is unique – and highly prized in…

A RETIRED army officer imparts this advice to the hosts of Christmas drinks parties: “Never use expensive booze when making any sort of punch. Absolute waste of the good stuff.” The same principle can be applied to home-made liqueurs. Slick, quick and cheap to concoct, home-made liqueurs make impressive and original Christmas gifts and can double up as mixers when hosting your own party. One can opt for a show-stopper – consider the rainbow-bright Skittles vodka – or take a more traditional tack with something like Atholl Brose, a home-made version of Baileys Irish Cream. Fruit-infused spirits such as sloe gin or cranberry vodka, though a little obvious, can be fantastic especially when made from recipes that have lasted for generations. Pioneering a fruit infusion is a dangerous business, running…

MANY have sought to emulate her but no one ever has or ever will write a rural bonkbuster quite like Jilly Cooper. To her readership she brings to life a sexually charged rural England (which exports beautifully), and a new novel is in the offing. But what is it about the countryside that led Cooper, and the many others in her wake, to make life there seem so very, very naughty? Thirty years ago Cooper, already a journalist turning out racy copy about the pressures of working all day, getting dinner on the table and still having to be up all night exciting her husband, began the much-loved Rutshire chronicles with the publication of Riders. “Sex and horses: who could ask for more?” wondered the Sunday Telegraph. Who indeed? We…

BROWNING’S A Bolt 3 follows the much-respected X-Bolt and represents the firm’s entry-level rifle, intended to compete with the likes of the Ruger American or the Savage Axis. Like the Ruger, the Browning punches well above its weight in terms of finish and quality and it is currently available in .243, .308 and 30-06, with .223 on stream shortly and .270 soon available as a special. Finished in matt black with black composite stock, it features a recessed unload button, a composite five-shot detachable box magazine, an Inflex recoil pad and factory screw cutting, all of which represent much more than you might expect from an entry-level rifle. The action is based on a three-lug, short, 60-degree bolt lift with a small extractor and plunger-style ejector. The oversize bolt cycles…

I’VE always had huge respect for Mazda. It quietly gets on with producing modest, respectable and thoroughly conventional cars but always has a corner of the showroom reserved for something wacky. It persevered with the Wankel rotary engine (quiet at the back, please) when everyone else had given up – and it is solely responsible for the revival of the affordable two-seater sports car. And now it has entered the compact crossover segment of the market with the CX-3. This is a curious segment. Recent snowy winters have re-awakened interest in four wheel drive, but car makers have realised that not everyone needs to fill their vehicle with five jolly guns and their dogs, nor does everyone need the space and mundane practicality of an estate car. Behold the small…