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William Saxby [5] was the joint Master of the Hunt with Charles Beard for a period of thirty-five years from 1834 to 1869 (a previous Master was Rev Dr. Hooker - grave [50]). As a largely agricultural community, fox hunting was popular in Rottingdean in past centuries, particularly among the landowning class.  Hunt Masters had high social standing, and were influential in the life of the village. Hunting wild mammals with dogs has been illegal in England since February 2005. 

Saxby leased a large proportion of the available land in Rottingdean from the Lord of the Manor, Lord Abergavenny, and lived at Court House (opposite Kipling Gardens and previously the Bergavenny Manor House). Saxby's substantial landholding covered 740 acres and he employed 21 farm labourers. He was second only to the Beard family (grave [7]) in local land control.

_{A detail from Saxby's grave.}

_{Saxby's home, Court House, as it is today.}