Deposition – Thomas Dawson – 28 Nov 1757

Thomas Dawson, 63, born at Whitewalls in Whitfield manor. His father farmed there and his mother after his father’s death. He was present at the Whitfield boundary riding by Mr Utrick Whitfield, son of Mathew Whitfield Esq., then Lord of the Manor of Whitfield. Saith ‘that the riding of the boundary was very public and notorious and believes that there were about three hundred people collected together, some out of curiosity and others upon other accounts….He said that Whitfield tenants frequently drove and hounded the Cattle of Grisley Raw, Furnace House, Moap [Mohope] and other places within the Manor of Hexham whenever they were found.. upon Hareshaws, Thackshaws and Millstones Fell. When he was about 8 or 9, his father impounded in an old stable about 40 sheep brought from Hareshaws to Whitewalls. The owner, William Lawson of Moaphead came for them but would not pay, so Dawson’s father would not hand them over. Lawson came back at night and tried to sneak them away, but Thomas’ brother caught Lawson in the act, who later agreed to pay for the return of the sheep. His father would have taken much less, he said, if Lawson hadn’t tried to get them back by night.