activities. However, the hunt has been witnessed to trespass on farmland which they are aware they are not permitted to be on. This shows that the hounds are not following a pre-laid trail and foxes are being deliberately hunted and killed. Lending a name The Old Berkeley Hunt developed a large following among the prosperous London middle classes: The slang term "berk" is a contraction of "Berkeley Hunt", which in turn refers to the English vulgarity "cunt" (the usage is dated to the 1930s). It is an example of Cockney rhyming slang. The "berk" in Berkeley is pronounced , but in Cockney it is pronounced , as in American English. The Hunt-class mine countermeasure vessel HMS Berkeley was named after the hunt. Berkeley Square in London is named after the family. Berkeley House in Piccadilly was sold in 1696 to the Duke of Devonshire, who demolished it to build Devonshire House. References External links Fox hunts in England Fox hunts in the United Kingdom South Gloucestershire District Sport in Gloucestershire