About us
Formed in 1816, the combined York and Ainsty country was hunted four days a week until 1906. Perhaps the most notable historical event was the Newby Ferry disaster on the 4th February 1869 from a meet at South Stainley. A fox crossed the flooded River Ure, pursued by hounds. Powter, the first whipper-in, went round by Boroughbridge to stop the hounds but the Master and Huntsman, Sir Charles Slingsby of Scriven, near Knaresborough, with 12 others, took to the small ferry boat; a boat intended for only 4 horses. The overloaded ferry capsized in midstream, drowning the Master and five others.
For several seasons afterwards, misfortune and untimely deaths followed the York and Ainsty, until Sir Edward Lycett Green assumed the Mastership in 1886, and remained in office for 23 seasons, bringing much needed continuity. In 1906, the first of many divisions occurred with the Lycett Green family retaining the bitch pack at Acomb, and Major Miles Stapylton taking the dog hounds into the present North Country at Myton-on-Swale. The arrangement did not last, yet the problems of so large a country, split by wide rivers and the increasing sprawl of the City of York, remained. The country spawned some private packs to hunt the less accessible parts, until in 1929 the York and Ainsty divided into its present North and South packs, with Lord Mountgarret as Master of the North Hunt with kennels at Nidd, and Mr David Lycett Green taking the South Hunt, retaining the old kennels at Acomb.
1937 saw the start of Major Lionel Holliday's distinguished Mastership. Kennelling hounds at Copgrove, he remained in office until his death in 1966. His enthusiasm for racing and his successful stud was perhaps matched only by his enthusiasm for hunting the fox. 'Vaguely Noble' was his last great gift to the racing world. Major Holliday's daughter, Mrs Gillam, stayed in office until 1969, when Mr Brian Driffield took the hounds to new kennels at his Brafferton home. Hounds still hunt over land farmed by Major Holliday's grandson at Roecliffe..
Major Roddy Bailey succeeded Mr George Hyatt as Master in 1980, to be joined by his wife in 1984 and Miss E M Lorrimar from 1989 to 1992, with Messrs John Topott and Graham Potter from 1993 to 1995. Mr & Mrs T Hall then took over the Mastership from 1996 with Miss Amanda Wharton (now Mrs. Welford) joining them in 1999. The Halls retired in 2000 and Mr Brian Robinson, the existing Field Master, joined the Mastership (assisted for a year by Mr Graham Potter) with Miss E M Lorrimar and Mr Stephen Hazeldine. Mr. Tim Hardy joined when Miss. Lorrimar retired.
These hounds hunt a country roughly bounded by Thirsk, Coxwold, Easingwold, Hunsingore, Summerbridge, Knaresborough and Ripon, with Boroughbridge as its centre. The country hunted contains over 1,000 farms and is mainly arable, with some grass and stonewalls to the west and hills and forestry to the east. The area also contains over 40 shoots and lies astride the largest confluence of the Yorkshire river system. Happy co-operation between all country sports is therefore a major feature of the York and Ainsty North Hunt country. Hounds meet every Wednesday and Saturday from September to March, with bye days on occasional Mondays.
