Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2021 i The Field

WHEN people are passionate about something, it often gives rise to rumbling discontent. Since moving into the Editor’s saddle I have found that “but” is often used by way of qualification. “I’m keen on shooting, but…” Most suggestions are well meaning or jolly useful. Our passion for keeping the flame alight comes with the territory but can also set people at odds. Anyone who has ever sat on a country committee or fieldsports organisation board deserves a thankful nod; those who have managed a hunt committee might be in the running for a medal. Yet that “but” overshadows the future of our fieldsports and has gathered pace. A sound test for the state of the countryside has always been our letters pages and direct conversation, not the flimsy outrage of…

TATTERED CHARM Is old kit better than new? It would definitely seem so, if the enthusiasm with which people responded to Andy Hook’s picture of a patched tweed jacket on Instagram is anything to go by. From the young man who wears his great-grandfather’s Barbour Solway to the lady whose husband inherited a Barbour jacket (from his father) and had it “patched, repaired and waxed more times than I’ve had hot dinners”, many shared the stories of treasured clothes that they have been wearing in the field for decades. But perhaps the most passionate about old kit is the Fielder who has been wearing a pair of “invincible” jodhpurs for 36 years and plans never to be parted from them: “I have included in my burial instructions that I must…

James Mawle manages several conservation projects on his family farm in Coverdale, North Yorkshire. Over the past decades, he has infilled 200km of grips or drains in the peat to reduce flooding further downstream. “I have never been a fan of the grips. There is no advantage in drying out the ground and once I discovered their impact on carbon release and flooding, blocking them up became the obvious thing to do.” Mawle is not alone. Moorland managers across the UK have invested a huge amount in re-wetting their moors. In the North Pennines AONB, an estimated 4,370km of drainage ditches have been blocked (the uplands were drained for sheep farming after World War II). As well as blocking up the grips, Mawle has been rewinding the river that runs…

STAR BUY Woodburn Hill, a six-bedroom farmhouse, comes with 125 acres. It has been renovated and modernised recently, while retaining period features. The kitchen has a 30ft ceiling and there is a study and large games room. There is a walled garden and kitchen garden, with riverbank frontage on the Lisles Burn, a tributary of the River Rede, and two ponds, home to native white-clawed crayfish. There is planning consent to convert the traditional barn into a two-bedroom cottage and there are further outbuildings. The property, on the fringes of the Northumberland National Park, is nine miles from Bellingham and 35 miles from Newcastle; Kielder Water and Forest Park, renowned for having the darkest night skies in England, are 20 miles to the west. Agent: Galbraith Tel: 01434 693693 Guide…

Many so-called rewilding enthusiasts and selfstyled conservationists put forward the argument that shooting and fieldsports are dirty words. That conservation and fieldsports – and often farming, for that matter – are mutually exclusive, and that the presence of a shoot on an estate or piece of land means that wildlife is neglected. This is, of course, far from the truth. Gamekeepers and farmers know their patches of the countryside better than anyone and, as such, are perfectly placed to know which species might thrive and what improvements could be made to encourage them. The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) is at the forefront of promoting what it calls ‘working conservation’; that is, working on the basis that wildlife can thrive “if we focus on integrating its conservation with other…

Few sounds in nature are more exciting and uplifting than the bugling of cranes. Whether it’s the duet of a dancing pair or the crashing orchestra of thousands on migration, it’s a wonderfully evocative call of the wild. For centuries, it has been lost from the British countryside but, at long last, Grus grus, the common crane, is back and it is something to celebrate. Rewilding and reintroductions may be the conservationist’s favourite buzzwords currently but, occasionally, birds take us by surprise and re-establish themselves here naturally. Two species did this in the 20th century. The first was the osprey, which started breeding again in Scotland in 1954 after an absence of nearly half a century. Much more surprising was the return of the crane: the pair that bred successfully…

With the challenge of securing a job and a comfortable home tougher than ever these days, how lucky are those whose job comes with a home thrown in? The countryside has long traditions of tied accommodation, either to lure people to remote areas or to bolster remuneration. With property and rental prices bordering on bonkers, a job with a house has rarely been more valuable, as rural schools such as Benenden in Kent and Ludgrove in Berkshire have realised, with recent staff accommodation building programmes. But is a tied house just a blessing in troubled times or, perhaps, also a relic of another age, when people rarely batted an eye at mildew and no one ever ‘customised to personal specifications’ everything from their car to their kitchen? Is a job…

IN the collection of the Royal Armouries is probably one of the most richly decorated firearms in existence made and signed by an Irish gunmaker. It was made around 1690 by one Francis Maddock or Maddox, who is recorded as working in Dublin at an address in Castle Yard, in the Dame Street/Cork Hill area of central Dublin. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries this was a popular area for Dublin gunmakers, of which there were quite a number. Contemporaries of Maddox working in the area were such gunmakers as Thomas Fitzpatrick or the renowned John Trulock (later to became the firm of Trulock and Harris). Little is known of the gunmaker responsible for this exquisite sporting gun apart from his name, Franciscus Maddox or Maddock, his address…

THE Rizzini BR460 is a big beast that, superficially, looks quite like a Perazzi. And, like a Perazzi MX8, it has a shallow but substantial action and a quick, detachable triggerlock. The test gun has 32in, monobloc barrels (bored at 18.4in – quite tight), multichokes and a single selective trigger. It weighs a not insubstantial 8lb 10oz. Designated a sporter, this Rizzini might also be suitable for high bird work. On first sight and handling, the BR460 gives an impression of solid quality. It is finished well with nicely figured, densely grained wood and fine chequering. Metal work is attractively presented, too, with good preparation and lustrous blacking. The action features little decoration, save for a bit of medium scroll work centrally on the action walls. The Rizzini name is…

OFTEN lauded as one of the more virtuous methods of cooking, I understand why the idea of steamed food may not instantly spark joy. Full of punchy flavours, vibrant colours and even a healthy splash of indulgence, this month’s recipes prove it does not have to be a fun-free experience. Steaming rather than boiling vegetables keeps in more nutrients and minerals as well as retaining colour. Steaming protein like fish, shellfish or game helps to keep it succulent and moist. This cooking method is also said to be more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. All excellent merits, but what I love about steamed food is the way ingredients gently combine and infuse, resulting in a particularly pure flavour. Then that magical moment when the steam is released and the aroma…

SPORTING COMPANIONS THE IRISH SETTER IS ADEPT AT POINTING If you are looking to test your stamina, the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is encouraging people to join its Air30 Airbase Challenge, covering spans of 27, 40, 54 or 121 miles. Participants set up their own fundraiser and have 30 days to walk, run, swim or cycle their chosen mileage. The Challenge runs until 31 May, with a £5 registration fee for individuals and £10 for teams. Go to: midlandsairambulance.com/airbasechallenge…

THE first recorded race winner at Cheltenham, when the track was at Cleeve Hill, was a mare, Miss Tidmarsh, in 1818. The Festival was born in 1860, events taking their current format at Prestbury Park in 1911. THE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP The Blue Riband of the National Hunt season was established in 1924. Horses run three miles 2½ furlongs, lefthanded, over 22 fences. Open to any horse aged five years or older, only three have won it at that age, including 5/1 Red Splash in 1924. The oldest horses to win the race: Silver Fame in 1951 and What A Myth in 1969, both 12. The Gold Cup is the third race of the Stayers Chase Triple Crown, a £1m bonus paid to any horse that wins the Betfair Chase,…

WILLOWBROOK HOUSE AND SWALLOW COTTAGE RYE COMMON. ODIHAM, HAMPSHIRE This property includes a prefabricated Huf Haus plus a detached cottage, with both homes for sale fully furnished. The grounds run to 31 acres, including a mix of paddocks and woodland, and there are equestrian facilities with stabling and a horse walker. The properties can be purchased as a whole or separately. The Huf Haus comes with all the latest technology. Agent: McCarthy Holden Tel: 01256 704851 Guide price: OIEO £4m for the whole BARNFIELDS KEMNAL PARK, HASLEMERE, SURREY This is a five-bedroom, Edwardian house built around 1900, which comes with an office and fitness suite, making it ideal for working from home; it is within walking distance of Haslemere town centre. An orangery was added in 2018 and there is…

Create a large log pile (see above) for all sorts of animals to nest, hibernate and take refuge in. Create a pond to attract insects, newts, frogs and dragonflies. If you have a pond – or are installing one – consider putting in duck nest tubes, which offer security and protection for duck nests and boost their fledging success. Put up nest boxes for small garden birds and migrants, such as house martins and swifts. If you have land, put up owl boxes in buildings or on prominent trees near grassland. Leave field margins or patches of tussocky grass year-round for voles and amphibians to shelter in. Plant hedgerows comprised of native flowering and fruiting shrubs, lay existing hedges to maintain bushy structure and trim them in rotation, if possible.…

Some believe the phrase ‘best foot forward’ originated when ladies looked for a well-turned leg in a man. Or that it signified the most elegant way to make a curtsey. In 1595, Shakespeare wrote in King John: ‘Nay, but make haste; the better foot before.’ Whatever the etymological origins, we’re firmly planting our best foot forward when it comes to planning for a sensational next season in the saddle, thoughts turned from the frustrating nature of the past. Here are the men and women to follow, and the places and packs to plan for, along with some inspiration from this season’s indomitable spirit. FOLLOWING NIMROD The predecessors to our contemporary Nimrods have for centuries set hearts aflutter. The Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sisi, had as her pilot the…

AS far as Michael Demain knew, he wasn’t going to be an artist. He was a hod carrier, which he was good at, and also thoroughly enjoyed. But you can’t carry hods forever, so Demain had a change of career to removals man – or, rather, artist. He explains: “I was delivering a piano to an address not far from where I lived and I saw some paintings on the wall. I just couldn’t believe that people could paint like that. Even when I went away, I couldn’t get it out of my mind and I just wanted to do it.” The owner of the piano was Lancashire wildlife artist Steven Townsend. “I left the house in a state of near shock and amazement, I had seen in those few…

WHERE’S the best place for your dog, or dogs, to live? In a kennel or in the house? It’s a subject that almost every owner of a sporting dog has a strong view on, though it’s a pity that we can’t canvas the opinions of the dogs themselves. Almost all professional gundog handlers favour kennels for the obvious reason that few want to share their homes with a dozen or more dogs. They will argue, too, that a kennelled dog is so happy to come out for the day that it’s anxious to please you, whereas the indoor dog isn’t so bothered. I doubt if there have been many winners of the Retriever or Spaniel Championships that were indoor dogs. I have met a few field-trial champions that weren’t kennelled,…

WE’RE back in bloody lockdown again – at the time of writing – and I can’t imagine that many readers bothered with Dry January. Oh, and hands up those who have foresworn vino for Lent? Hmmm, just as I thought: nobody. Not this year of all years. I’ve certainly been hoovering through the hooch, ably assisted by Mrs Ray, who’s nothing if not a team player and never backward in coming forward, glass in hand, whenever she hears the merest squeak of a corkscrew. Indeed, so successful have we been in slaking our thirsts that the cobwebbed cupboard under the stairs – aka The Cellar – is pretty much bare and needs an urgent restock. I’m sure you’re in the same boat. The perfect time, then, for this cracking offer…

SCAN any car park or spend time on a motorway and it becomes obvious that the SUV sector of the car market is the big one. They have become the must-have family car these days, with their extra room and ride height, although the once-compulsory four-wheel drive has fallen off the spec list as urbanisation has taken over. The Grandland X is Vauxhall’s fairly late entry into this highly competitive sector and, at first glance, it ticks all the right boxes. It’s a good size, easy on the eye, sits high on the road and the ‘X’ suggests (wrongly) that it’s a rufty-tufty off-roader. The inside starts off well, too, with easy access, lots of interior room and simple, old-fashioned dials – most unlike the hi-tech ones on the Grandland’s…

Appetite for venison has plunged as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, sparking concerns that this could ultimately affect the woodland ecosystem balance. Despite an increase in shop and supermarket sales, the majority of the meat goes to hospitality businesses, so their closure is having a huge impact. “We don’t know precisely how much UK demand has declined,” says Dick Playfair of Scottish Venison. “It will be significant: maybe by as much as 60%.” Some conservationists have raised the alarm that this drop could lead to a surfeit of deer, damaging trees, insects, woodland birds and even small mammals, such as the hazel dormouse. “People won’t shoot deer to waste,” says Martin Edwards of BASC. “Most of what we’ll shoot will go into the freezer – and my freezer is full…

▶ A bird ingrained in our pastoral story. ▶ The skylark sings only when in flight. ▶ In decline in the UK since the 1970s, although not globally. Closely linked to farming practices, and most probably rare in England before formal farming was introduced. ▶ Margaret Rutherford and Angela Lansbury both excelled as Noël Coward’s eccentric Madame Arcanti in Blithe Spirit. The title comes from the opening line of Shelley’s To a Skylark: ‘Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!’ ▶ Shelley wrote To a Skylark – one of his most popular poems – in 1820 after hearing the bird’s song while living in Livorno, Italy. ▶ There is a skylark poem to suit every mood, from John Clare’s rural paean to Ted Hughes’ (Skylarks, 1958) more visceral interpretation and Christina Rosetti’s…

The Peak District, with its limestone dales, wild heather moorland and dark, forbidding, gritstone crags, is an oasis of outstanding natural beauty, surrounded by some of the biggest towns, cities and conurbations in the country. An estimated 20 million people live within an hour’s drive of the Peak District and, since 1951, when it became the first UK National Park, around 13.25 million people descend on the area annually to enjoy the spectacular topography. The sheer volume of humanity, particularly during the spring and summer, creates a unique set of challenges for moorland managers and keepers on the 17 grouse moors in the Dark Peaks, not least of which is the ever-increasing risk of wildfire. Moorland wildfires, invariably started by human negligence, cause immense damage to swathes of internationally important…

DOGS don’t do distancing, social or otherwise. So our gundogs must be baffled by the onagain-off-again shooting season that has wound its way to a confused close. We can hardly blame them or ourselves if dog work has become a bit wayward under the strain. For those who rely on regular days on the peg, or picking-up or beating to keep their dogs happy, fit and on the whistle, working and training feels just about impossible. Professional trainers and field-trial competitors have been hard hit, with the loss of the various national championships and only a few trials fitted in during periods when lockdown was lifted. Fortunately, they know how to be inventive and adaptable with their training programmes. One successful trials man used to train his dog on a…

BRITISH SPORTING ART TRUST Study for The Saddling Paddock, Cheltenham March Meeting by Sir Alfred Munnings IN February 1947, and while president of the Royal Academy, Sir Alfred Munnings began work on “the one picture I always desired to do: Cheltenham Saddling Paddock”. The British Sporting Art Trust (BSAT) owns one of the studies that Sir Alfred produced in preparation for the much larger work. In his autobiography, The Finish, there is a fine description of Sir Alfred’s working methods using the Cheltenham picture as an example. “I squared [the large canvas] out with pencil in scale to my smaller picture…. From then on, with the large canvas on an old mahogany lean-to easel, the smaller picture on a low-pitched easel slightly to my left… I drew in the picture…

MY significant other has declared me a ‘little ray of sunshine’ – Not! Worse, she’s right. I see little on the near horizon to smile about. Nearly all my shooting was cancelled and it is ages before the trout start rising. At least someone with a modicum of common sense is allowing fishing in lockdown; presumably as there are few activities more antisocial. Stamp collecting, perhaps? But even philatelists doubtless like to congregate to share the visceral thrill – chacun son goût – of a newly discovered ‘misprint’, whereas there’s little more infuriating than a heavy-footed angler mate coming to ‘have a chat’ as I try to tease out a twitchy trout. In fact, we are all Norman No Mates now. Zoom calls – or Zoom drinks, God forbid –…

BELFAST CERAMIC KITCHEN SINK VICTORIAN PLUMBING An essential item in kitchens and service rooms, there is nothing more infuriating than a mean basin that won’t accommodate the myriad things that need dunking and wiping, from tack to terriers. This sink, of fire-clay ceramic construction, is strong and easy to clean. Bowl Size: 535mm long x 395mm wide x 222mm deep. Price: £216.24 Email: info@victorianplumbing.co.uk; victorianplumbing.co.uk THE SIX PULLEY AIRER CLOTHESMAID The classic clothes (and rugs) airer, available to fit your space (from 0.9m to 2m slats) and with ironwork in a range of colours to go with your decor or racing colours. Especially useful when you are washing rugs after the season before putting them away; spring cleaning early when the weather is still unreliable; or even for drying herbs…