Berwickshire​Hunt

About Us

            HUNT COUNTRY

 

The hunt country covers an area of almost 350 square miles of Berwickshire, measuring some 16 miles east to west between the Lauderdale Hunt and the eastern coast of the Scottish Borders, and 20 miles between Coldstream in the south and the Lammermuir Hills in the north. A varied country, it ranges from the glowing purple heather hill of the Lammermuirs, through the large fields of open stock farming country to the predominantly arable area of the ‘Merse’ of Berwickshire.

            HUNT HISTORY

 

The date of the establishment of the Berwickshire Hunt is not known, but it is believed to be the oldest hunt in Scotland.  The 1st Earl of Home maintained a pack of hounds in Berwickshire at his own expense until his death in 1619, and was succeeded by his son. Records indicate its full existence in 1740 with Mr Lumsdaine of Blanerne as the Master.

The country has undergone a great many changes, and has close links with the Northumberland. Indeed at times the portion of country now hunted by the College Valley and North Northumberland has been incorporated with it. A still greater extent of the country was hunted during Lord Elcho’s Mastership, including that now hunted by the Percy.
 

In 1898 the Berwickshire’s name was changed to Northumberland and Berwickshire, and changed again in 1904 to NBH. On the death of Sir James Miller in 1906 the Northumberland portion was again given up as part of the Berwickshire Hunt and the present title was adopted.

1998 was the centenary of hounds being kennelled at Brieryhill.

            PAST MASTERS

 

–16191st Earl of Home

1619 – 16332nd Earl of Home

1740sMr Lunsdaine of Blanerne

1790 – 1826Mr George Baillie of Mellerstain and Jerviswoode *(see note at bottom)

1840 – 1843G Baillie Esq. (later 10th Earl of Haddington), R Baillie Esq. and Mr William Hay of Duns Castle

1840 – 1848Mr David Robertson of Ladykirk (Nothumberland)

1840 – 1867Lord Elcho (later Earl of Wemyss and March)

1848 – 1851Sir George H Boswall, Mr Robertson, and Sir H Hume Campbell (Berwickshire)

1867 – 1871Mr Askew

1871 – 1886Sir John Majoribanks Bt. of Lees

1876 – 188712th Earl of Haddington and The Hon R Baillie Hamilton

1872 – 1880Mr R Calder (Northumberland)

1884 – 1888The Hon. F W Lamberton of Fenton (Northumberland)

1886 – 1888Major J Hunter of Anton’s Hill (Berwickshire)

1887 – 1897Major J Hunter of Anton’s Hill (Whole country)

1897 – 1906Sir James Miller Bt. of Manderston

1906 – 1910F Usher Esq.

1910 – 1912Sir J Hume Campbell Bt. of Marchmont

1912 – 1915Col. C T Menzies and Captain J G Cheap

1915 – 1919Col. C T Menzies

1919 – 1922J L Greig Esq.

1922 – 1930M S Thomson Esq.

1930 – 1939Mrs Menzies

1939 – 1940Captain H R Trotter, Major C W Baillie and J Menzies Esq.

1939 – 1948A committee (Hounds hunted by Miss Annette Usher 1940-6 and Major H R Trotter 1946-8)

1948 – 1951Major H R Trotter and S E A Landale Esq.

1951 – 1953Major H R Trotter, S E A Landale Esq. and Major C W Baillie

1953 – 1958Major H R Trotter and Major C W Baillie

1958 – 1959Major H R Trotter, Major W V Burdon MC and Major A Horn

1959 – 1961Major W V Burdon MC and Major A Horn

1958 – 1967Major A Horn

1967 – 1969Major A Horn and D M Thomson Esq.

1971 – 1975D M Thomson Esq. and W R Tullie Esq.

1975 – 1981D M Thomson Esq., W R Tullie Esq. and T K Morgan Esq.

1981 – 1982D M Thomson Esq., W R Tullie Esq., T K Morgan Esq. and Major A R Trotter

1982 – 1983D M Thomson Esq., Major A R Trotter and D K Tweedie Esq.

1983 – 1988Major A R Trotter and D K Tweedie Esq.

1988 – 1991Major A R Trotter, D K Tweedie Esq. and Mrs R Dewar

1991 – 1992D K Tweedie and Mrs R Dewar

1992 – 1995Mrs R Dewar and Mrs J Y Cowan

1995 – 1996J H Whaley Esq.

1996 – 2000J H Whaley Esq. and The Hon Mrs J H Whaley

2000 – 2003J H Whaley Esq., The Hon Mrs J H Whaley, The Lady Palmer, Christine, Lady de la Rue and Miss D M M Calder

2003 – 2009R G Swan Esq. and A M Thomson Esq.

2009 – 2010R G Swan Esq., A M Thomson Esq. and Mrs Louise Aitken-Walker MBE.

2011 – 2012 RA Innes Esq., R G Swan Esq. and Mrs Louise Aitken-Walker MBE.

2012 –2016 RA Innes Esq., R G Swan Esq., Mrs RA Innes, Mr M Arnott and Mrs D Russell

2016 - 2018 R Mania Esq. R G Swan Esq, C Aitchison Esq, C Tait Esq

2019 – 2020 Gareth Watchman Esq. C Aitchison Esq, C Tait Esq

2020 - Gareth Watchman Esq, C Aitchison Esq, C Tait Esq, James Agnew Esq 

* Believed to be the first Master to enter hounds to fox (exclusively) in the district and understood to have introduced the green collar to the Berwickshire and Duke of Buccleuch’s hunts.