From 1696 to 1779 there had been a joint arrangement between John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland, Master of the Belvoir, and the Earl of Gainsborough, Earl Cardigan, Lord Howe and Lord Gower, to hunt one pack on a shared basis in the huge area from Belvoir southwards into East Northamptonshire.

In 1776 Tom Noel made an agreement with Hugo Meynell, first Master of the Quorn, known as the "Father of Foxhunting".

The Cottesmore pack was purchased from the new Viscount Lowther in 1802 by Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 4th Baronet of Normanton Park.

Henry lived at Asfordby before moving to Barleythorpe Hall, near Oakham, which his father purchased for him as a hunting box.

The buildings were intended to accommodate 100 couple of hounds, 50 horses, and housed most of the Hunt staff of some 40 grooms and kennelmen.

Notable locations within the hunt's country in 1884 included Barleythorpe Hall, Knossington Grange, Burley Park and the town of Oakham.

[4] The Cottesmore continues to operate within the law, using a combination of laid trails and flushing the fox to a bird of prey, a golden eagle.