Journal entry – John Grey – 17 Aug 1833

Saturday 17th August 1833



Met Mr Parkin this morning by appointment and went with him through all the Woods on the Tyne Banks, deciding on such as it seemed necessary to remove, both from the embankments themselves & from the brink of the River, to admit if getting the Banks sufficiently sloped and secured, of the latter there are many so, much undermined, as to make it likely the next flood would carry them off.  We then proceeded to examine particularly the Woods on both sides of the Devils Water from Dilston Mill upwards.  I had previously had three or four of the large Larches in this Wood cut down to ascertain their quantity.  Those I went to see & was delighted to find them an excellent specimen of full grown Timber, red wood to the very outside;  and if I am not much mistaken, perfectly fit for all purposes of farm buildings.  From their great size & awkward situation, beneath precipitous banks, it will be necessary to cut them up where they lay.  And this ought to be done in the Autumn and the Wood put under cover for the Winter.  With such Wood, I hope there will be little necessity for buying foreign timber, except in the case of building dwelling Houses of considerable size.  In these Woods a great quantity of Oak, Ash & other trees might be set out for Sale, if a Market could be had, with much advantage to the using trees of smaller growth.  In a general way the Woods upon this property are much too crowded, & great injury has been sustained in so many of them, by having gone too long without thinning - by which trees have been forced to a height quite out of proportion to their thickness & seldom ever attain a proper shape and strength.  Returned after a walk of eight hours.