From the early days of the “Piteslea” under Alwin the Huntsman and the “Pightsley" under William Engaine, our hunt has been merged, renewed and relocated  numerous times to the form that it takes today.

History

Key Dates:

1635 – a pack at Althorp was well established

1750 – the Pytchley Club was formed

1819-1873 – the Althorp and Pytchley countries were hunted by one pack with a second pack established at Brigstock and until 1920 the master of the Pytchley was in charge. 

Early 1900s – The Padua scarlet was officially adopted by hunt staff and masters under Lord Annaly.

1931 – Lord Spencer, Colonel J. Lowther, Mr Samuel Lloyd and Captain Stopford-Sackville drew up an agreement to separate the Woodland Pytchley from the Pytchley.

1966 – The kennels moved from the heart of Brixworth village to the present site.

The hound van from Brixworth

The Future:

The Hunt continues to meet under the stewardship of five masters.  Neil Holloway is Senior Master with responsibility for the operation of the Kennels and part administration of the Hunt.  William Spencer continues to lead the field on a Saturday, he is joined by Stuart Morris, who will look after Mondays and Rowan Cope who will lead the field on a Wednesday.  The team is completed by Henrietta McCall.

The pack, under new Huntsman Daniel Cherriman and Whipper-in James Finney, is made up of 22 couple of dogs and 25 couple of bitches who carry bloodlines stretching back to the early days of the Hunt.

Stanley Barker in Brixworth