Hagley Hall (Worcs)

Owned by the 12th Viscount Cobham (who inherited the property from his elder brother John, who was famously opposed the introduction of the ban on fox hunting and said he would rather go to prison than prevent hunting from taking place on his estate), Hagley Hall is “set in the tranquil Worcestershire countryside” – though it’s not so tranquil come Boxing Day when the Hall routinely hosts the Albrighton & Woodland Hunt before the riders and dogs go charging out into the countryside (with sabs always in attendance of course). On the Hunt’s website incidentally, the A&WH mockingly says “At all times we intend to hunt within the law” (‘intention’ is a huge factor in legal cases, and the Hunt is clearly prepping their argument for the next time they’re caught hunting unlawfully) but acknowledges that “The Autumn hunting season starts in late August, depending on the harvest, when new and young hounds are prepared and educated ready for our Opening Meet in early November.” ‘Prepared and educated’. Chilling words…but presumably not a concern for the 12th Viscount.