Journal entry – John Grey – 29 May 1834

Tuesday 29th



Viewing the Nursery Ground, The House & fences of which are in bad repair.  It would have been an advantage in letting it to have annexed to it a Pasture field for keep of a Cow & Horse, but at present that cannot be had.  I shall now advertize it, directing all Tenders to be sent to Greenwich by the 6th day of August.  My attention was called to the state of Pound Fold at Alston, which it is the duty of the Hospital to maintain, & I found it necessary to give Mr Dickinson directions to get a new Door & have the Walls repaired. Also to have something done to the Wall dividing the Millers Meadow from the Ground on which the Fairs are held, as in its present condition, he sustains damage from the Stock brought to the Fairs.  Four Pounds will, I think cover the cost of both.  

       Rode up Garrigill looking through the several small Farms there till I reached the most distant one of Tynehead, where the infant Stream may be stepped over.  I had never before had an opportunity of visiting this remote place.  There is not an Acre of tillage upon the Farm, Grass being its only produce.  The Cow houses are excessively bad, but may with a trifling repair, stand out the Lease.  The Stone fences are likewise in a sadly dilapidated condition & to rebuild them all would consume the rent of many years to run.  At a new letting, here as elsewhere, it will be necessary previously to determine upon what fences it may be prudent to restore & what to abandon & then bind the tenant to maintain them.  Many are the claims among the tenants for upstairs & additional accommodation, all of which I put off for the present, mainly directing that the roofs be put into such condition as to preserve the Houses from greater decay.  The buildings upon the small properties in this part purchased some years ago by the Hospital are universally bad.  When last in this part, there was hardly a Gate to be seen, but I desired Mr Dickinson to get some made at a season when Joiners have little employment, which he did for 2/- each, of Wood grown on the spot, for which the Tenants express their thankfulness. I had a meeting with Mr Horne the new Surveyor of the Alston Roads, who is making great exertions to put the Roads into a substantial condition before the return of the Winter,  but to do which in the most economical manner, he declared will consume the whole produce of the Tolls.  The approach to the Inn at Lowbyer is greatly improved by the ragged bank along the roadside being sloped & planted & the new entrance to the low part of the House, adds much to the comfort & convenience of the House.