Page 98 THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS.

THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS.

DECOYS IN THE COUNTY OF KENT.

Decoys in use. None.	Decoys not in use. Grovehurst. Kemsley.


Grovehurst Decoy 12 miles ENE. of Maidstone, in the parish of Milton, near Swade, in the marshes close to King's Ferry and within a mile south of the Swale Creek, that leads by Sheerness to Queenborough, Milton, and Faversham. There used to be a Decoy here, believed to have been 150 years old. It was known as Fullager's Decoy, Fullager being the name of the farmer who rented the grazing in the adjoining marsh. It was also spoken of as the "Sittingbourne Decoy." When the railway to Sheerness was constructed, it passed close to the Decoy, and in course of some years utterly spoilt it. It has, in consequence, not been worked since 1866. The pool was about 2 acres in extent, exclusive of the surrounding cover of willows and alders, and had four pipes. It belonged to Mr. W. Gascoyne of Westgate-on-Sea, and for many years was worked by a man named Chapman, still living. From the carefully kept Decoy Book of expenses and catches lent me by Chapman in connection with this Decoy, I find that the largest take in one season during his time was 2,500 fowl. The best day's catching resulted in 140 fowl, and the greatest number at a drive was 80 Duck and Mallard-this, too, within 40 miles of London. But formerly all the district surrounding this Decoy consisted of extensive marsh lands, intersected by numerous creeks and arms of the sea, and so very favourable to attract wildfowl. Mr. Gascoyne has very kindly furnished me with the following interesting account of this Decoy. He says:- In 1847 my late father purchased the farm called Great Grovehurst, upon which was an ancient Decoy in working order. A Lincolnshire Decoyman came every season to take the wildfowl, and as I was in occupation and living within two miles, 1 became greatly interested in the pond. "Although never a commercial success, over 1,000 Ducks and 1,000 Teal have been taken in one season, but some years they fell off to a quarter of that number. Owing to this falling off, my Lincolnshire man eventually found it not worth his while to come, and I had to teach a local man of the keeper class.