Deposition – Henry French – 28 Nov 1757

Henry French, 60 and upwards, carpenter, of Planetree House, Whitfield. He said that there had been no dispute about Hareshaws, Thackshaws and Millstones Fell being in Whitfield Liberty, ‘until sometime after a rich groove or lead mine was discovered in the Manor of Hexham at a place called Grisslee Raw and then he heard that Mr Blackett now Sir Walter Blackett claimed the said ground called Hareshaws, Thackshaws and Millstone Fell to be parcel of and lie within the Manor of Hexham.’….. Re Millstone enclosure in 1716/17:  no part was enclosed, but some years after it was and ‘he hath several times served upon the jury at the Courts held for the Manor of Whitfield when the Whitfield Tenants endeavoured to prevail upon the jury to present the said Smith for hounding and driving off their cattle from the Millstone Bottom…but they could not, it appearing that [Smith] had leave given him by his Landlord Mr Whitfield so to do …. And to the best of his remembrance,  the said inclosure was made two or three years before Sir Walter Blackett first rode his boundary.’