Journal entry – John Grey – 5 Dec 1834

?Friday December 5th



Went over the ground of Woodhall & Elrington accompanied by Mr Hunt, to decide upon the propriety of Drains & new Fences at at both, & the most suitable construction of the latter; which having fixed, directed him to put up Notices of them at Haydon Bridge, that he might receive Proposals from Workmen.   He then proceeded to measure off some draining at Elrington Hall & to examine & value the Farm of Esphill & Lightbirks, commencing at the extreme point of the black hill near Stublick & ending the other extremity at Haydon Bridge, with a view to try if any desirable arrangement could be come to, by which it might be let to Mr Lee, who should like to occupy it, & by which Peacock might be released from it, & become a candidate for Newtonhall.   This is the most awkwardly arranged Farm I ever knew, a reference to the Plan will show its extraordinary shape, the Offices at Esphill being near to Haydon Bridge, & the Land extending to nearly two miles Southward, & so narrow that the access is only by passing through the whole line of Fields, & many of them extremely steep & inaccessible.    I had often wished that an opportunity could have been found to lay the high part of this Farm, from the head of Boggle hole Wood upwards, to Langley Castle Farm; & the low part to East Land Ends, which would have made a compact & square Farm, the water machine at Esphill, superseding the Horse one at East Land Ends, & in a centrical situation.  But the difficulties are not easily surmounted, of having Buildings, Roads & Fences arranged to suit the present divisions, & especially of the Farms not coming to be let at the same time - this occupied me till dark.