Journal entry – John Grey – 28 Aug 1833

Wednesday 28th August

I have received an account for £16:16:0 for certain Plans for Lands at Keswick, made three years ago, but not paid for - a copy of which I herewith enclose, not thinking it right to pay it without an order from the Board.  Rode to Whittonstall and inspected the new Roads, which are now nearly finished, all the materials being led and nearly all broken & laid on.  Examined the building of the new School house at Whittonstall & bridge at Ebchester, both pretty far advanced.  



Newlands Mill housing    Newlands Haugh and Town Farms

Also the repairs at the House & Farm Offices occupied by the Miller at Newlands, the roofs of which required a good deal of work, being of gray slate & much broken.  This place will now be in very good order, except a small Cow house, the walls of which consisting of Stones cemented with Clay, are so old and bad so as not to be capable of repair.  There is no alternative but to make it intirely new & the only matter that could be used in it, is the small quantity of Stones it contains. I have therefore induced the Tenant to use it for another year, if it will stand, with the idea, that if any management can be made so as to unite Newlands Haugh Farm and Town Farm in one and save the building of an onstead at the former, Stones & gray slates would be had from the old buildings there, to make this up at a cheap rate.



Fairle Farm

In consequence of an application from the Tenant of Fairle Farm, I examined minutely the windows and doors, which I had given orders to have gone over with putty and paint, to make them last for a time if possible, and found it necessary to give orders for two new doors and at least two new window frames and sashes.  The house is very old and everything about it bad, but with such repairs, it may be made to last out the present lease, & these old doors and windows may be made up perhaps for some of the old Cottages in that quarter.  Besides these matters of particular Inspection, I wish at this time, to see all the farms; that I may judge by the appearance of the crops, of their general productiveness and of the management of their respective occupiers.  Of Newlands & Whittonstall I must remark that the present Crop is superior to that of the Lands on the Tyne, in proportion to their respective quality & rents, especially to those of Dilston, Westwood & Coastley, (which however is not attributable to the management of the present tenants, of those farms, but to the severe system of cropping , to which they have for a long time been subjected) and that with trifling exceptions, the state of their crops & fallows does the tenant credit, those of the Whittonstall Hall and Morrow Field particularly.  The lateness of the climate however is much against this district, as much of the Corn will  not be ripe for three weeks to come and may suffer in the winds to which it is so much exposed.