Hunt meet at Red Lion

1921

This captivating 1921 photograph captures a traditional fox hunt meet outside the Red Lion Inn in Stalbridge, a rural Dorset town steeped in hunting heritage. The mounted riders, dressed in formal hunting attire, gather alongside their eager hounds in front of the historic inn, a known gathering place for local huntsmen.

This is the Blackmore Vale Hunt, one of the oldest and most respected hunts in England, with origins dating back to the 18th century. Such events were more than sport—they were major social occasions, drawing together landowners, farmers, stable hands, and curious onlookers, as seen in the crowd of well-dressed boys and working men lining the street.

Behind the grandeur lies a world shaped by tradition and hierarchy. The hunt reinforced local social structures, yet also provided a shared cultural ritual in a largely agrarian society. Hounds, horses, and horn—this was rural England at its most emblematic.

Historic insight:
Fox hunting in the early 20th century remained both popular and controversial. It would take until the Hunting Act of 2004 for traditional hunting with dogs to be outlawed in England and Wales.

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