Museum of hunting reopens after refurbishment

Britain’s only hunting museum was relaunched following complete refurbishment at a ceremony on 9 October.

Baroness Mallalieu, president of the Countryside Alliance – who opened the original Hunting Museum 10 years ago – performed the ceremony at Melton Carnegie Museum, Leics.

Former H&H editor Michael Clayton, who is chairman of the museum’s trustees, said new exhibits included historic cine film of hunting in Leicestershire, which is shown on video screens, and “superb examples” of the works of the county’s major sporting artist, John Ferneley.

“We are thrilled that so much progress has been made, and hope the refurbished gallery will receive many more visits from hunting people all over the country,” said Mr Clayton.

“The museum has an excellent hunting library and archives of hunting diaries and other memorabilia,” he added.

The museum was opened in 2002, made possible with a donation of £100,000 from hunt supporters and £500,000 of Lottery funding. Melton Mowbray’s historic links with foxhunting are well illustrated.

Four hunts border the town; the Fernie, Quorn, Cottesmore and Belvoir.

Martin Bell, whose wife Clare is the Cottesmore secretary, told H&H that the museum was well worth a visit.

“I took our children – both keen hunters – a couple of years ago and they found it fascinating,” he said.

“It’s full of all sorts of interesting things; old horns, boots, newspaper cuttings. Every hunting person should go and visit it,” he added.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (11 October 2012)

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