How the fox hunt became part of the Chester County Day Tradition
From Chester County and It’s Day, by Bernice Ball 1970
For many Chester Countians Foxhunting is a way of life. So why not schedule, as a pre-tour extra, watching a hunt assemble and move off to draw the home covert? In the early 1950’s two Hunts – Brandywine and Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds - invited guests to come to their respective kennels at nine-fifteen. It should be mentioned and never, never forgotten that this late hour for meeting represents a very generous gesture and not a little inconvenience for the foxhunters because, in Cubbing Season, they are usually up, and up and away by seven.
Interest that first year exceeded all the expectations and it was not long until the start of a hunter became a regular fixture (as they say in foxhunting circles) of the Day. In addition to those mentioned, Pickering, Radnor, West Chester and Whitelands have subsequently joined the roster of Day Hunts. In Chester County there are probably more Hunts with fixed schedules than in any comparable area in the United States plus quite a few private packs with whom one hunts by invitation. Many thousands of acres are used for foxhunting, especially in the Unionville section. Land development poses problems because Hunts require both open space and not heavily traveled roads. May landowners used set-back fences creating a wide swath of grass for the use of the hunts.
Foxhunting is truly a way of life and this county has had and has many famous Masters of the Fox Hounds, women as well as men. No one can chronicle the minute-by-minute excitement of a hunt more colorfully than the late J. Stanley Reeve. His books are sheer delight even to a person who only knows which way a horse if facing, which is not much to know in this field. The late Gilbert Mather, M.F.H. of Brandywine and W. Plunket Stewart, Master of Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire foxhounds were gentlemen of the old school in matters pertaining to the sport. In his “Forword” to Mr.’ Reeve’s “Further Fox Hunting Recollections,” Mr. Sterwart admits deep devotion to “the county where I have spent the happiest days of my life.” In speaking of the beauty and appeal of this section our distinguished ex-Governor of Pennsylvania, the Hon. William C. Sproul, said that always, when driving through Chester County, he was strengthened in conviction that as God created it, He smiled and the land became a mirror, reflecting joy and serenity.”
Mr. Stewart continues “It is undeniable that the essence of foxhunting is finding of foxes, the riding straight and bravely to hounds, but assuming that these requirements are fulfilled, I maintain that a higher morale is established . . . by giving adequate consideration to the formalities of the chase . . .Hunting is, to us, more than a mere pastime, it is, in short a glorious sport worthy of tradition and one to be jealously treasured.”