Coursing is defined by Dr Johnson as 'the sport of hunting hares, foxes, and sometimes deer with greyhounds.' From the sportsman's point of view foxes and deer must be eliminated from the definition, for coursing is now understood to be the pursuit of hares by a brace of greyhounds. The saying that 'a gentleman was known by his hawk, his horse, and his greyhound,' is a very ancient one; and King John is recorded to have accepted greyhounds in lieu of a money fine; but in those times it was generally deer that were coured. In Elizabeth's reign the sport attained a fashion and celebrity previously unknown, and has since that time been followed up with undiminished zeal.
Late in the 16th century we have a record of some laws of the leash framed by the then Duke of Norfolk on principles which have been largely adhered to since. To Lord Oxford, the lord-lieutenant of Norfolk, the sport of coursing is much indebted. Indeed, by some he is called 'the father of modern coursing;' and he it was who founded the first society, as it was then called, in 1776 at Swaffham in Norfolk. Other clubs were soon organised, Lord Craven founding one at Ashdown Park in 1780, and this was followed by the Malton Club in Yorkshire and the Bradwell and Tillingham Club in Essex, besides many others starting soon after the opening of the 19th century.
After the passing of the Game Laws in 1831 coursing became much more general, and the sport was taken up by the public, meetings prior to that time being principally supported by members of clubs, of which there were a large number spread over the kingdom. From that date up to 1875 the growth of coursing was very great, and all the chief meetings throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland were attended not only by those who owned dogs, but also by many who simply went for the love of the sport. It was feared by many that the Ground Game Act of 1880 would greatly interfere with public coursing, and this fear naturally caused coursers to follow the example of Mr Case, of Plumpton, who originated the inclosed system, the first ground being made over his farm in Sussex. Up to this time coursers as a body had looked rather askance at the new method of carrying on the sport; but the Ground Game Act caused more inclosures to be formed, and then the fact of their being so easy of access added greatly to their popularity.
The real sport of coursing can only be obtained at the open meetings, so called in distinction to the inclosed, notwithstanding that these latter fixtures have been for a time in favour with those who prefer the 'ease and comfort' obtained from commencing the day some time between eleven and twelve and finishing at four, whilst all the courses run can be witnessed from a grand-stand. At the inclosed fixtures the betting as a rule is far higher than when the coursing takes place in some open country where the slipper and dogs have to be followed from one end of the day to the other, for this would be far too much work for the ordinary betting-man.
At a coursing-meeting two Greyhounds (q.v.) are slipped together, and the judge who has been appointed by the committee or by the votes of the nominators decides which is the winner of the trial upon the one uniform principle that the greyhound which does most towards the killing—though he may not actually kill—is to be declared the winner. The judge has a recognised code of points to go by, these points being speed, for which one, two, or three points may be allowed; the go-bye, two or three points; the turn—that is, bringing the hare round at not less than a right angle—one point; the wrench—bringing the hare round at less than a right angle—half a point; the kill, one or two points or even less; and the trip—where the hare is thrown off his legs—one point.
Those fixtures held over the downs have always been looked upon as amongst the very best of the open meetings. The Amesbury meeting has always been held over the splendid range of Wiltshire downs belonging to the Antrobus family. The village of Amesbury, which is the headquarters for this fixture, is 7½ miles north of Salisbury. The Ashdown Park Club was established by the then Earl of Craven in 1780, and the stakes up to 1850 were confined to its members; but since that date open meetings have taken place in addition to others held by the South of England Club. The Berkshire village of Lambourn is the headquarters for the Ashdown meetings. Another favourite meeting is held over the Stockbridge Downs, a short distance from the well-known racecourse. The Waterloo Cup meeting takes place over the so-called Plains of Altcar (belonging to the Earl of Sefton) in Lancashire, and here, too, the Altcar Club holds its fixtures. The Ridgway Club meeting is another of the large and old-established Lancashire fixtures, but the running there is confined to members. The Clifton Arms Hotel at Lytham is the headquarters. Two meetings are annually held at Southport. In Yorkshire the best meetings take place under the North of England Club, several estates being lent by the owners for their fixtures; and in addition Scarborough and other places annually hold open meetings. Lincolnshire has a well-managed fixture at Sleaford. In the Midlands Lichfield is the best supported meeting, the Marquis of Anglesey allowing the coursing to take place over his estate at Beaudesert. Newmarket—the turf metropolis—annually boasts of a large and well-attended meeting. Farther south the Cliffe and Hundred of Hoo Club and the Essex Club both hold open fixtures—the former over the Cliffe marshes beyond Gravesend, the Essex Club at Southminster.
The Border Union ranks as the best meeting held in the north, and this fixture, which now takes place in November, is much looked forward to by both northern and southern coursers. Longtown, 9½ miles north of Carlisle, is the headquarters. The principal meetings in Scotland are Carmichael and Corrie. In Ireland, Mourne Park may be said to be the chief meeting (though really coming under the head of 'inclosed'), many English dogs being sent across the Channel to compete, and the coursing season is always opened there. Other fixtures are held by the Northern Club and the Leinster and Limerick clubs.
The first ground over which 'inclosed' coursing took place in 1876 was at Plumpton in Sussex. Here originally there were three fields, with plantations for letting the hares out from and escape coverts made at the farther end; but the smallest of these inclosures was soon done away with, and the sport took place over the Station Field, which was 800 yards long by 300 yards wide, and the Hill Field, 700 yards by 300 yards. Since 1886, however, the Station Field only has been used; and this is on an incline from one end to the other, affording good trials, and fairly well testing both the speed and stamina of the greyhounds. In connection with High Gosforth Park an inclosure was made 5 miles from Newcastle-on-Tyne. The coursing-ground is slightly down hill from the slipping station for about 150 yards, and from that point a very easy rise to the escape covert. At Haydock Park, near Newton Bridge station, on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, are two fields quite distinct, which are used on alternate days, so that the same hares are not coursing two days in succession.
Kempton Park, the nearest inclosed ground to London, is situated in the Vale of Sunbury, 16½ miles from the metropolis. Two meetings a season are held here, and the champion meeting which annually takes place in January holds the highest rank in this style of coursing. All the fastest dogs in the United Kingdom are brought together, for, as a rule, it is to the dog with the most speed that the chief prizes in the inclosures fall, the working qualities of the greyhound not being sufficiently brought into play.
At Wye, near Ashford in Kent, an inclosure has been established, and meeting after meeting takes place here throughout the season, with at times a very small interval between them. Here the ground is on the incline nearly all the way, and this, as a rule, gives the slower greyhounds a better chance of gaining the judge's verdict, as, though generally led, they when once in possession go the better with their game. The average number of points made in a course here are certainly greater than at the other inclosures. The inclosure at Four Oaks Park, about a mile from Sutton Coldfield, is another that is almost all on the incline, but the meetings here are now few and far between. The coursing arena is 700 yards in length, and 400 yards in width.