Chalk Pit & The Hunt

A Memory of Odiham.

Julian's hunt story is almost right. I was living at the Chalk Pit at the time, and still do. It was about 1981, on a Saturday lunchtime, when the hunt came over the top, but it wasn't on Boxing Day.  The hounds were chasing Hares.  The leader of the hunt knew there was a main road so directed the hunt across the field.  The Hare was chased through a hole in the hedge at the top of the Pit, and the dogs followed through.  From about 34 dogs they lost 18. Mr Cleverley, the local vet, had the sad task of ministering to the injured dogs.  To my amazement the Kennel Maid knew every dog by name, and sat in our barn with the survivors.  I've not seen a dog hunting near the Pit since, though we have had dogs fall over the top.  And, on one sad day, a local man fell to his death.
Some of the buildngs in this photograph still survive, as we live in one.