The Regency era produced some spectacular eccentrics who managed to gamble and drink their way through vast fortunes. However, none were as potty or as tragic as John ‘Mad Jack’ Mytton. Mytton was born in 1796 at Halston Hall in Shropshire to an ancient squirearchal family. His father died when…
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Repairing vintage fountain pens
I have come across three nice old fountain pens that belonged to my mother: a Conway Stewart fountain pen, a Waterman fountain pen and a Swan, all dating from the late Twenties. I cannot find anyone prepared to supply new bodies and do general repairs. Any ideas? JP, by email
William Garfit interviewed by The Field
Unsurprisingly for someone who has spent most of his life gripping a paintbrush, pen or gun, it’s with a firm handshake that William Garfit greets me on the doorstep to his studio: a treasure trove befitting such an artist and countryman. Paintings of rivers, coastlines and flowers adorn the walls…
Hunt point and retrieve breeds: a Continental divide
Your first day’s driven shooting is invariably memorable. However, for one friend of mine this was for all the wrong reasons. The much-anticipated outing dawned cold and frosty, and it was still dark when he loaded up his elderly Land Rover with gun and dog. Unfortunately the vehicle refused to…
Best stalking bags: the ultimate shortlist
The best stalking bags are invaluable equpiment for a day on the hill. Dominic Griffith seeks out the best on the market. (Read: DSC1 is vital for anyone serious about stalking.) BEST STALKING BAGS An invitation to stalk brings with it the worry of what kit to carry and how…
Hot whisky, tea, cider and spice
Hot whisky, tea, cider and spice Serves 4 Ingredients 2 English breakfast teabags 700ml medium cider 3 cinnamon sticks 2 cloves 2 star anise 1 tbsp cardamom pods, lightly crushed 20g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 1/2 nutmeg, grated 1 orange, zest peeled into thick strips then juiced 2-3…
The weimaraner: silver shades of grey
How nice to see a weimaraner working.” It was a comment directed to me as a nervous novice in the beating line but I still remember this remark, made by a gun on a formal shoot near the Domesday village of Westerham in Kent. It was pleasing for three reasons.…
Do you know your raspers from your bowlers? Find out in The Field’s Quiz of The Week 9 March 2026
The Field quiz runs every week, with new editions published every Monday. Sign up to our monthly newsletters for the best of game shooting , flyfishing, hunting, sporting dogs and everything else that makes life in the British countryside uniquely enjoyable.
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