What became of Lady Emma's Horses

It’s been so mild this autumn that the trees in Betley Court Gardens have hung on to their leaves for longer than I can ever remember. Only the leaves of the oaks and chestnuts have begun crisping, and crinkling into their seasonal colours. The leaves of the grand copper beeches on the long walk are changing from their summer bronzed hue to orange, and are fluttering down onto the ground like autumnal confetti. Shane, armed with the leaf blower keeps the paths free of leaves. It’s a Sisyaphean task, for as soon as his back is turned more leaves cascade down to fill the void. It’s one of the essential tasks though, keeping the paths free of slippery, rotting leaves for our residents’ safety. And in collecting them we create super leaf mould for the gardens. 

Shane's Sisuphean task - keeping the paths clear of leaves in autumn

One sure sign of autumn is the smell of fungus around the gardens. Fungi in the soil choose this moment in the year to reveal themselves via their fruiting bodies and send their spores off around the garden. This year’s fungal display has been the best I can remember. I counted 10 varieties on the main lawn alone, and there are many more mushrooming out of felled logs and standing deadwood like frilly colourful lapels. Nigel’s suggested we dig out a book of fungi to identify them as our knowledge of this strange branch of the tree of life is woefully inadequate. Any readers’ suggestions would be most welcome. 

Fungus 1. a pale yellow crumbly specimen

Fungus 2. a delicate frilly brown stripey mushroom

Fungus 3. flakey cream, delicate

Fungus 4. serated edge, brick-red brown

Fungus 5. shiny peaked capped, grey brown

Fungus 6. like a cockle shell

Fungus 7. brown with bullseye rings

Fungus 8. brown fungus sombrero

Fungus 9. wierd little yellow finger. My favourite!

Fungus 10. My second favourite, tiny vermillion domes 

We’re currently undertaking some refurbishment in two of the occupied apartments; improving insulation and plastering over dated Artex finishes. Some of these rooms, I’ve been told, served as bedrooms for the grooms that worked on the Betley Court estate, and we’ve wondered how to honour that history whilst providing a home fit for modern living. For example, when we installed a new bedroom door, our builders, Jim and Mark copied a tongue and groove door with and old-fashioned Suffolk gate latch. They even copied the original door’s dimensions, so it remains in keeping with the rest of the ‘original’ rooms. Anyone over 6’2” will need to duck as they enter, but keeping the proportions honours the original purpose of these rooms.

One of the grooms' room. 

The new door - a challenge for those over 6'2"

As we’ve recently come across old postcards from the heyday of the North Staffordshire Hunt, and the rooms used to be grooms’ rooms, we wondered about framing copies of them, to decorate the rooms. Of course, the subject of hunting is controversial, an offensive and unnecessary practice to some, and to others an ancient tradition of the countryside that needs to be preserved. Those two opposing views were held at Betley Court too at different points in history. 

The North Staffordshire Hunt, preparing for the off, outside Betley Court

For many decades, Betley Court hosted the North Staffordshire Hunt on its estate, and George Fletcher Fletcher-Twemlow (1857-1935) and his wife Emma Beatrice (1862-1936) were both equestrian enthusiasts. The hunting meets were important occasions for those involved, and establishing one’s social status amongst the landed gentry. The importance the Fletcher-Twemlow’s placed on equestrian pursuits is exemplified by the splendour of the stables their horses enjoyed. The stables have since been converted into a private house, and the photo below shows how comparatively well furnished the stalls were and just how much the Squire and his wife thought of their equine companions. 

Some of the stable stalls. Quite palacial!

One of the saddest stories I was ever told was by Tom Brassington, who started his working life at Betley Court, in service as a wagon boy. He was in his 80s when I knew him circa 1994, but he remembered when Emma Beatrice died quite clearly. Emma had decreed that upon her death, her horses were to be disposed of immediately. The stable staff were ordered to line the horses up on the main lawn, facing the room where she had passed away. Then, as per the late Mistress’s orders, the horses were shot. I can only imagine how the stable staff felt at the destruction of the horses that had been in their care. 

Shortly after Emma’s death, Betley Court made national headlines when, upon inheriting the estate, George’s nephew Capt Charles Fletcher-Twemlow (Royds) and his wife informed the North Staffordshire Hunt by letter that the land of Betley Court Estate would no longer be available for their hunting meets. It caused quite a stir amogst the landed gentry. For the horsemen and grooms on the estate, it must have seemed like the end of an era, and an early portent of the huge social changes that were coming to country estates like Betley Court as the second world war began. 

You can read more about the hunt at Betley Court HERE 

All best wishes Ladybird Su