Wellington's Loddon
Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, returned to England a hero after defeating Napolean at Waterloo. In recognition of his service the state gifted him a large estate in north Hampshire. Wellington personally chose the site, apparently endeared by the River Loddon which flowed through the estate and surrounding woods. I have been unable to find any evidence that the Duke had an interest in angling, but I like to imagine that he may occasionally have chanced his arm at catching a trout from the river which flowed at the bottom of the lawn of his opulent stately home, Stratfield Saye. Today, with the 9th Duke in residence, the estate lets a number of rods each year on over four miles of extremely well-kept river. A credit to the team of river keepers that I found the banks to be some of the most fastidiously manicured that I have encountered, including those of the hallowed River Test. The lawns were clipped to perfection and one bank had vast amounts of casting space. Jus...
