Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i The Field

FORESTRY COMMISSION TACKLES OAK MOTH SPREAD The Forestry Commission has updated the operational zones and boundaries to manage the spread of oak processionary moth (OPM). OPM caterpillars and their nests contain hairs that can cause itchy rashes along with eye and throat irritations. The caterpillars feed on oak leaves and can increase trees’ vulnerability. NEW PRESIDENT FOR AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY The South of England Agricultural Society has appointed the Earl De La Warr DL as its new president for 2023. Lord De La Warr, a businessman and livestock farmer from East Sussex, is a well-known figure in the agricultural world and has a deep passion for the industry and the rural community. HUNT COUNTRY TO BE SHARED The hunt country of the Meynell and South Staffordshire hunts will be shared between…

Flower: Lily of the valley/hawthorn Pink Moon: 5 May Harvest: Garlic May is named after the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of plants. OAK APPLE DAY On 29 May people traditionally wear oak apples or oak leaves pinned to their clothing to remember King Charles II’s triumphant return to London after the restoration of the monarchy following the Civil War in 1660. The reason behind the oak symbolism was to celebrate the King’s narrow escape from capture by Oliver Cromwell’s soldiers by hiding in an oak tree. The day is also known as ‘Pinch-Bum Day’ as anyone seen not wearing an oak leaf was pinched, kicked or otherwise abused. WEATHER FOLKLORE STATES “Cold, wet May, barn full of hay” QUOTE OF THE MONTH “Oh is that your little…

Write to: The Editor, The Field, Future Publishing PLC, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR Email: field.secretary@futurenet.com LETTERS MAY BE EDITED FOR CLARITY OR SPACE FIREARMS LICENSING There are about half a million people in the UK holding a firearms or shotgun certificate and most have several close relationships, which means many people may hear about the inefficiencies in the system that BASC sometimes refers to. People form their view of organisations based on experience. As such, perhaps several million consider the police hugely inefficient. Almost by definition, to hold a firearms or shotgun certificate means you have limited contact with the police, so what alternative conclusion can be reached if a simple process takes many months? It is baffling that the police miss this opportunity to build positive relationships…

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THERE is a rather beautiful moment in the famous 1969 fly-on-the-wall documentary Royal Family, a moment that many Field readers will be familiar with. It is of a simple – and decidedly not grand – family barbecue on the banks of a Scottish river, presumably the Dee. A young Prince Charles whisks the salad dressing and the Duke of Edinburgh turns slabs of steak and sausages on the charcoal grill as Princess Anne plays sous chef. The Queen prepares the salad while an unruly little Prince Edward clambers over the Land Rover and demands to know what the spoons are for. It is a rare insight into the equally rare downtime the Royal Family must be able to enjoy together, but what a fine way they choose to do it.…

Along with the paella, this is one of my go-to outdoor feasting dishes. It requires little preparation, not much kit and has a suitably celebratory feel. There are a number of simple coastal greens you may find, especially in spring and summer. I came across some wild leek, alexanders, sea beet and samphire. Take a foraging book and be sure to be absolutely firm with your identification before eating. You may even be able to forage the mussels, which makes for an extremely satisfying day out. However, avoid this in spells of hot weather, as an algal bloom can be absorbed by the mussels – and then by you – and your body will not thank you for it. Method ▸ Clean the mussels by removing any barnacles and beards.…

Each monarch brings fresh creative energy to the ancient institution, expressing both personal and cultural values through their chosen foundations and patronages. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a review of Royal patronages has been undertaken. It is likely King Charles III will continue connections with the groups and trusts he established as Prince of Wales as well as taking on many of the late Queen’s. With her deep knowledge of sporting art, The Queen Consort will also be active alongside The King in support of the arts. The National Gallery Despite his views about its modern extension, as Prince of Wales, The King became the first royal patron of the National Gallery. nationalgallery.org The Glasgow School of Art Opening Glasgow’s refurbished Burrell Collection was one of The King’s…

There are three species of swan in the UK: whooper, Bewick’s and mute. Distinguishing between the first two can be hard but for the fact the Bewick’s is slightly smaller. The other differences – in beak shape and the speed with which their wings beat – can challenge even the most ardent ornithologist. While most species of swan mate for life, divorce and promiscuity aren’t unheard of – though the Bewick’s swan rarely strays. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust observes that the whooper and Bewick’s both have “a rather graceful bugling, honking call with the whoopers adopting a slightly deeper tone”. They are migratory birds that make their way from the high Arctic tundra in winter from northern Russia and Iceland, respectively. Mute swans stay in Britain year round, and…

THEIR ponies were cheerful little shitlands. The children – mainly girls – grew up to manage careers and families and anything else that needed sorting out. The adults ran around picking up cast shoes and fallen riders and the pieces generally. Yet in this joyous chaos of wrecked marquees, ruined lawns and inevitable bramble thickets there is one person missing. Unseen in the cartoons, Norman Thelwell himself is the bemused, non-horsey dad, looking on with fond bafflement at our inexplicable obsession with all things pony. This year is the 100th anniversary of Norman Thelwell’s birth and the 70th birthday of the spherical yet mercurial beast universally recognised as the Thelwell Pony. Thelwell, living in the Midlands at the time with his wife and young son, had started drawing cartoons for…

AT TWO years old I remember being sat on a little grey pony named Smokey. I haven’t wanted to get off a horse since. My parents took me for weekly lessons at our local riding school. Eventually, they were worn down and we got a loan pony, Milly. She taught me how to ride. It took a few more years before I convinced my parents to buy me a pony of my own. Aged 10, Barnaby came into my life: unbeatable on a good day, Satan on a bad one. The Quorn Hunt Pony Club became a big part of my life, competing in all disciplines; my long-suffering father, Adrian, became the only man on the committee. Over the years, he drove around the country so I could compete and…

Patrons are given access to the collection, our expertise and a sneak peek at what goes on behind the scenes. Patrons are also invited to a series of social occasions across our sites. The programme for 2023 is already shaping up with the first exclusive event giving patrons an opportunity to get up close to the James II pistol at a private view. For more information on how to become a patron, contact the development team at developmentd@armouries.org.uk or visit: royalarmouries.org/support-us/become-a-patron…

FRILLY WOODHOUSE-CHECK TABLECLOTH TORI MURPHY Woven in Lancashire and made in Nottingham, this 100% cotton tablecloth is ideal for coronation parties with its sunny colour and jaunty frill. Later, use it to brighten up shoot lunches – the mustard colour will hide splodges of the condiment. It is 140cm wide x 230cm long with a 10cm frill. Price: £175 Tel: 01773 711128 torimurphy.com DECORATED CURIOSITY CUPBOARD DEVOL KITCHENS Four beautiful designs – including ‘Rambling Wild Roses’ (pictured) and the delightfully dark ‘Botanical’, available in several colourways – make this furniture more than mere storage. Designs are digitally transferred then hand finished with craquelure and antique wax. deVOL is the brainchild of two design graduates from Loughborough University. Price: from £3,760 Tel: 01509 261000 devolkitchens.co.uk CORONATION CUSHIONS DOG AND DOME Don’t…

SO, there we were on our way to the Glyndebourne Opera Festival. My old chum Charlie had assembled a fine crowd to join him and Mrs Charlie for the evening. We were travelling from many starting points, picnic baskets groaning with fine comestibles – the composition of which we’d been given strict instructions about – and cool boxes crammed with champagne, chablis and Coronas. We were in high spirits and all was well until… disaster. I was in Charlie’s car, bombing happily along the M25, when he took a call from one of our party – the gentleman shall remain nameless since he’s still not been entirely forgiven – to say that in his hungover haste to get cracking, he’d left the coronation chicken on the kitchen table and was…

A group of Scottish landholdings committed to rewilding has recorded dramatic ecological and economic impacts in its first two years. The Northwoods Rewilding Network, which has grown to 55 partners, has reported that more than 108,000 native trees have been planted, 69 new ponds have been dug and 60 hectares of degraded peatland have been restored on partners’ landholdings, providing many ecological benefits. James Nairne, who leads the Northwoods project, said: “These impressive impacts demonstrate the commitment of our Northwoods partners to deliver benefits for nature and communities.”…

4-8 Badminton Horse Trials Gloucestershire Tel: 01454 218375 badminton-horse.co.uk 4-13 The Royal Society of Portrait Painters’ 132nd Annual Exhibition Mall Galleries, London Tel: 020 7930 6844 therp.co.uk 6 Coronation of HM King Charles III and HM The Queen Consort Westminster Abbey, London 6-7 Northern Shooting Show Harrogate, North Yorkshire Email: info@northernshootingshow.co.uk northernshootingshow.co.uk 7 1000 Guineas Newmarket, Suffolk Tel: 01638 675300 thejockeyclub.co.uk 11-14 RHS Malvern Spring Festival Worcestershire Tel: 0344 338 5400 rhsmalvern.co.uk 11-14 Royal Windsor Horse Show Windsor Home Park, Berkshire Tel: 0333 300 3010 rwhs.co.uk 12-14 Chatsworth International Horse Trials Derbyshire Tel: 01246 565300 chatsworth.org 13-24 June Summer Exhibition Moncrieff-Bray Gallery, Petworth, West Sussex Tel: 07867 978414 moncrieff-bray.com 19-27 August Glyndebourne Opera Festival East Sussex Tel: 01273 815000 glyndebourne.com 21 Gordon Castle Highland Games & Country Fair Morayshire Tel:…

THE Reverend Dr Jamie Hawkey, Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey and a Chaplain to HM The King, goes off to put the kettle on. Through the windows of his sitting room I can see a magnolia tree flowering in a walled garden, where a narrow lawn now occupies a space where the chapel in which Henry III swore to uphold Magna Carta once stood. As well as piles of country magazines, the room is a sanctuary for books on Renaissance art. There’s a rugged landscape on the wall, alongside a photograph of his wife flying over a fence at a hunter trial in Aberdeenshire. We are in the precincts of an abbey in central London but nature is everywhere. Hawkey returns with coffee. A youthful 43, he is one of…

IF THERE is anybody who consistently sees the wood for the trees it is forestry expert John Clegg, who has been involved in more than 3,000 woodland sales and acquisitions during 40 years in the business. When Clegg, who is now a director of Tustins, went down to the woods one day in 1983 prices were around £5,000 to £1,000 an acre. Today, the value is more than £25,000 an acre. Looking forward, Clegg predicts record levels of forestry investment and land values continuing to rise. “There are hundreds of millions of pounds available, from institutions and individual investors,” he says. “There is a real opportunity to develop our timber industry into one of the most climate friendly developing sectors, with tree-growing rates from a range of conifers in the…

ONE CAN only imagine how sobering it must be to be born an heir to the throne. From the moment of arrival into the world, an entire kingdom is only a heart-beat away. Our King, Charles Philip Arthur George, has borne such expectation since 9.14pm on 14 November 1948, becoming the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. In that time he has been exposed to immense privilege and intense scrutiny in both his public and private life. No wonder, then, that the countryside and all it offers has been a place of sanctuary and fulfilment, just as it proved to be for his predecessors. Campaigning for and championing the natural world is something HM The King has always been passionate about and renowned for, earning him accolades such as ‘The…

ON A SLIGHT bend in the road to the ferry ports for Ireland in Pembrokeshire, a small sign indicates a village destination a few miles distant. It may mean nothing to the weary traveller but for the devoted aficionados of a small, doughty, feisty and lovable Welsh dog, it means everything. For that sign reads ‘Sealyham’ and points the way to the 19th-century birthplace of this remarkable breed of working terrier. It was to celebrate their abilities as ratters that they were recently invited by the Joint Masters of the Duke of Beaufort’s foxhounds and the estate’s gamekeepers to a historic Meet in the park and day on the Badminton estate. If it was a sight for the mounted followers, it was doubly so for the foxhounds, who immediately made…

With its origins lying with the shepherds in the wilds of southern Spain, paella is the original one-pot dish. For me, it is a New-Year’s-Day-beach-party tradition. Packed correctly, you will feel like a culinary Mary Poppins, as it is perfectly possible to cook this for a dozen people out of one small backpack. Method ▸ Light your fire and get it good and raging. Cooking in a pan outdoors requires a decent heat from naked fire. ▸ Have a grill set over the fire or simply use some stones or logs to form a makeshift trivet. ▸ In a large paella pan, or similarly large and heavy-bottomed pan, add the oil, onions, fennel seeds, saffron and chorizo, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring…

HOW MANY monarchs have been crowned at Westminster Abbey? Is it 38 or 39? Intriguingly, we don’t know. William the Conqueror was crowned on Christmas Day in 1066 but it’s possible that Harold Godwinson, the Saxon king who got an arrow in his eye at Hastings, got there first. We know Harold was crowned on 6 January 1066 but his monks, the tonsured historians of the day, neglected to leave an official record of where. What we can be sure of is that William’s coronation was extraordinary. It was conducted in English and French and the congregation’s loud roar of acclimation to appease the usurping Duke of Normandy was mistaken for a riot by his troops outside. In a panic, they set fire to a goodly number of surrounding Saxon…

▸ Tonda: a New Forest thug belonging to Thelwell’s daughter, Penny Jones, who thought himself a cut above the average Thelwell pony. ▸ Smokey: each generation of Royal children goes through its Thelwell moments on the family’s adored Shetland ponies. Aged four, HRH The Prince of Wales [below] is pictured leading his pony across the lawn at Highgrove House. ▸ King William: Mary King’s special horse gave her a first Badminton win, but it all started with the vicar’s hairy pony in the back garden in Salcombe Regis, Devon. ▸ Be Fair: Lucinda Green dreamt of a horse of her own until Be Fair arrived for her 15th birthday and took the pair to her first Badminton win only four years later. ▸ The Done Thing: now a devoted Pony…

Land Healer The writer’s surname might be something of a double-edged sword. Association with his actor brothers and his explorer distant cousin is good marketing but such links could divert attention from Jake Fiennes’ expertise, honed over three decades in land management starting on the Knepp estate, then as a gamekeeper at Raveningham Hall and now as conservation director overseeing 25,000 acres at Holkham in North Norfolk. It quickly becomes clear, however, that Fiennes needs no nepotism to underpin his heartfelt prose. This book is a gentle call to arms for regenerative farming and is fundamentally positive in outlook. He ‘firmly believe[s] that the natural world is not f*****. We can fix it.’ So while he laments the damage we have wreaked on Britain in the post-war era, Fiennes goes…

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, the RVW Society is gathering examples of skylark song from across the UK and further afield. Taking its name from the popular work The Lark Ascending, written by Vaughan Williams, the project will create a new archive of skylark recordings at the British Library that will be available to researchers, musicians and the public. The project is being supported by British violinist Tasmin Little, who said it “will be an invaluable resource to capture the beauty, diversity and subtlety of this bird song”. The recordings will be made through the spring and summer and individuals are invited to add their own contributions. For full details, email gardengreen333@yahoo.co.uk.…

Dear Freddie, A REALLY good shot becomes one through constant practice, and for the next three months of the summer I do urge you to take advantage of the opportunities for clay pigeon shooting that are available these days to young shots. It is all too easy for the basic principles of shooting, discussed in a previous letter – moving the feet and body to the quarry, lead, keeping your swing going and so on – to become rusty. Many of us, and I am as guilty as anyone, put our gun away at the end of the season and do not take it out again until the next one, wasting the first few days getting back on form. Ridiculous, when a little practice would make all the difference. Your…

THE WELSH countryside has been shaped over the centuries by its rural community, a sense of common culture and a passion for sport. Shooting is fundamentally tied to this landscape. In his foreword to the Countryside Alliance’s Shooting in Wales – For Countryside & Community, rugby legend Sir Gareth Edwards CBE declares, ‘I truly believe that shooting in rural Wales is bound up with our nation’s sporting culture and traditions.’ The hills and valleys of this rugged utopia provide some of the most demanding game shooting in the UK. With an eye on sustainability, showing good birds in the right manner and challenging sport, we look at some of the best shoots that Wales has to offer. BRIGANDS A flagship of the Bettws Hall stable, Brigands is synonymous with particularly…

Perfect for a celebratory Coronation lunch, the lamb can happily sit over the smoking embers for a few hours, requiring only a few turns now and then while you pop a cork with the family. As a nod to the Royal ‘barbecue king’ himself, I am serving this with a Greek salad: a natural bedfellow of lamb that can be prepared up to a day in advance. I like to keep the chopping rough and rustic. Method ▸ For the Greek salad, in a large bowl, first mix the tomatoes with the garlic, salt and sugar and set aside for an hour. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. It needs an hour to rest but can be left up to a day for the flavours to meld. ▸…

With many gifts and special celebrations planned for the Coronation, the British Sporting Art Trust was one of the quickest off the mark, unveiling a new Charles Church painting at Palace House in Newmarket’s National Horseracing Museum in the spring. The Trust is also exhibiting two bronzes by Caroline Wallace of the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III. The Grenadier Guards will be giving His Majesty a pair of bronzes by Tristram Lewis of the late Duke of Edinburgh and the late Queen. At the Royal Collection there will be a range of Coronation memorabilia, including the traditional coronation mugs that have become so collectible from past coronations. It’s also a good time to stop by the Osborne Studio Gallery at 2 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JU. For…

DURING the course of his very long apprenticeship, His Majesty King Charles III has been a far-sighted champion of many causes, from the needs of the natural environment to concerns for the built environment. But of all the areas in which The King has expressed himself, there is one where he has, quite literally, worn his heart on his sleeve. And that’s been in his tireless support of the enclave of elite British tailoring centred on Savile Row and the community of craftsmanship that sustains it. In this, His Majesty has been a vocal champion; indeed, he’s walked the walk as well as talked the talk. No fewer than 23 suppliers of clothing and accessories today hold Royal Warrants in his name and, unsurprisingly, many of these are the best…

THE narrator in Marcel Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past famously sets off a train of memories when he eats a cake dipped in tea. He is reminded of Sunday mornings as a child when his Aunt Léonie would crumble a madeleine in her lime flower tea and give it to him. We all know the cake was a madeleine – even if we’ve never read Proust – but who recalls the importance to the narrator of the scent and taste of lime flower tea? Unlike the French, we don’t drink this delicious tea very much. It’s only readily available in a herbal mixture that is intended to help you sleep. That seems to me somehow symbolic of the general lack of interest these days in one of the really great…

A map board game with hand-coloured engraved paper on linen, with each player having a marker and four counters, and the game requiring an eight-sided teetotum spinner. The places and their descriptions are listed at the sides of the playing surface with any rewards or penalties for landing on them. A History of Britain in 100 Maps by Jeremy Black, published by British Library Publishing, hardback (£40)…

IT’S LONG been argued that a good horse can’t be a bad colour, and I reckon that’s generally true with gundogs, too. However, most of us have preferences, so when it comes to choosing the colour of our next puppy we have generally made up our minds before going to view a litter. With labradors there are a lot of people with Henry Ford sympathies: any colour, so long as it’s black. Black is the original labrador colour, though the first registered yellow labrador was a dog called Ben of Hyde, bred by Major C J Radclyffe in 1899. Judging by the surviving photographs of Ben, he was a dark yellow, probably close to what we now call fox red. Yellows took a while to catch on: in 1924 the…