AN Aga adornment, a loyal and loving attendant, an able and enthusiastic hunting machine, sometimes boisterous and, at other times, quietly contemplative, the Sealyham terrier is a multifaceted canine beloved by farmers, footballers’ wives, the showing fraternity, actors and the aristocracy.
Longish, quite low to the ground, propped up on succinct legs ending in substantial paws and boasting copious amounts of facial hair (if not brought into contact with the groomer’s clippers), which includes a bushy moustache punctuated by a prominent ebony nose, these personable dogs characteristically come in a white hue, but their uniformity can be interrupted in some by patches of black or brown.
Today, a dozen working Sealyhams are in hunting mode on a West Country farm. Having failed to locate a rodent in the hen house, they are now loping through long ryegrass, tongues lolling, short, sharp pants the only sound from these focused creatures that never seem to bark. Here is the quiet and unassuming Enid, the empathetic Tilly, fiercely loyal Grace and the exceptional ratter Peggy. Striding ahead at the front of the pack is Harry Parsons, dressed in a burnt-orange and mustard-yellow check shirt that rivals the weather for its sunny demeanour. Almost single-handedly, 64- year-old Mr Parsons has also brightened the future prospects of this breed that has frequently stared into the abyss of extinction —and, indeed, still does to an extent.
Denne historien er fra September 07, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 07, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
