Journal entry – John Grey – 17 Dec 1834

Wednesday 17th December 1834



Arrived at Hartburngrainge at 9 oclock at which time I had appointed the Tenants Thomas & Samuel Brewis to be at home.  I went to their respective houses & having discussed with them the Covenants I had fixed upon for their ensuing Leases & brought them to consent to my terms, I filled up agreements for Leases accordingly & obtained their Signatures.  I then met Crile, as I had fixed, to see as to the Houses which could be attached to the Colliery.  Besides the old Woodkeepers House, I could only find an old Cow House in a field on the North Farm which the Tenant can spare. This we examined, & rather than incurring the cost of making it fit for a Cottage by building a Chimney & other things that are necessary at such a distance with no one to look after it, I engaged to allow Crile £5 for doing it, he being bound to have it & all other erections in good repair.  I then went into the Woods where I had engaged Mr Parkin to meet me.  He is engaged in marking off a great deal of inferior Wood with a view to sell it.  In thinning those Woods formerly they have unluckily taken out most of the Larch which would now have been valuable & left a great quantity of Beech which is unsaleable.  As it will not improve in size or value now, I think it best to clear the Woods as much as possible of all the unprofitable stuff, & replace it with Trees of a better kind.  The replanting of this cannot take place for another year, but there are pieces of ground on the top & slopes of the glen which have been fenced off for planting, but never planted, & other pieces which in letting the farms I have reserved for planting, in some parts, because they are of little value & in others because they save a good deal in the length of the Hedge to be made, which will be planted this season.  Having desired Mr Brewis to get some experienced Workmen to meet me on the ground I went over it with them & Mr Parkin & having set out the lines of fence, concluded by bargaining with them for making the pits for planting by the thousand & the hedges by the roof.  Mr Brewis engaged to look at their Work daily & to supply them with money as occasion requires.  In the evening rode a few Miles Northward.