Letter – Daniel Wren – 29 Sep 1735

Septemr 29 1735.  Daniel Wrens Accot & Opinion of the Severall Mines open in the Alston Moor, as also of Such Places as are promising for adventuring.



[In the margin:]  Redgroves at Ninth No 1

      Has been lately Husht by Mr Aynsley & the Receiver within these 3 Months by which the upper Sills, are now become of little Value  It lyes on the No[rth] side of Nanth[ea]d & Mr Blacketts Collcleugh further North, & is yet untoucht in the lower Sills, which are very hopefull, but bringing up the Levell will be very expensive as it may be 12, 14 or 1600 Yards to drive, tho it is not improbable, but Oar may be gott as it is carrying on.



[In the margin:]   qr wt is the length



In taking of a Lease the whole length from Nanthead to Collcleugh Liberty should be had, and 1200 yards in breadth is as much as can be gott.  It is computed that a full Tryall may be made for about £700.	As the expence will be so great, & the time of carrying up the Levell may be more than three, 4 or 5 years & as it will all be new Work the late Workings being mostly distroyed  by Hushing, there should not be more than 1/7th Dues paid, But as it is hopefull rather than want it a 5th may be given.



[In the margin:]  Blagill No 2

      Now wrought by the L[ead] Compy whose Term either expired 4th June last, or the 4th June next.  She continued very good, till a cross Vein called Lough Vein was mett with when she was the richest of all, but after they Seperated a Levell was brought up to the said Lough Vein, but no Oar found, but Blagil Main Vein is not yett Sought for by the Company.  Its probable that she may very easily again be found, by driving forward from where the two Veins cross each other wch Expence may not cost above £50.



[In the margin:]  Set forth the Bound[ar]y desired



The Company are now getting Oar, on the Side of Blagill Vein in a place which is a Flatt, or what is called a Pipe Work, which is thought to be a Sun Vein, (or a Vein to the South) which is Supposed will be very good.  Whoever undertakes the above Mine of Blagill, should have the present bounds, & a further Extent of Ground forward, besides Thorngill Included, and she may deserve, rather than not have it, as Redgroves:



[In the margin:] Peat Stack Hill No 3

	At present wrought by Mr Errington & produces Oar very well & it is thought the Vein goes forward unto Blagill burn Vein wherebe is now hushing.  She is very hopefull, but has but little bounds lite She comes into Blagill burn, where it is uncertain what there may be left unwrought.  



[In the margin:]   q[uery] what Term has Mr Erringt[o]n Set forth for the Boundry of this & Blagill burn.



As Peat Stack Hill Mine is now open and in a good condition, it is well worth undertaking, as there will be little or no Expence, but a great probability of Profitt, and she may be worth the Terms of the Mines above mentioned. Whoever takes it should have Blagill burn Vein & Boundary along with it.



[In the margin:] Browngill No 4

	Lately wrought by Mr Rogers & Ptners but of a little or no Value of it Self, except being Serviceable by its Levells & Shafts to Browngil Moss, where there are bounds Sufficient for a new Lease, & it is thought by all appearance to be very hopefull, but it will be expensive clearing out the old Levells, and repairing the Shafts & may Cost about £2 or £300 and may deserve the same dues as before mentioned.



[In the margin:] Longhole Head No 5

	At present wrought by the Receiver & P[ar]tners, where Oar has been got by them.  She adjoins Browngill Moss, & is of pretty large bounds, & is very hopefull.  The necessary Levells to be brought up, in order to make a full Tryall of her, may cost about £100 & she may deserve the same dues, as the others.



[In the margin:] Thortergill 6, Loningh[ea]d 7, Redgroves in Natris 8, Greengill 9, Rockhill 10, Haggs in Nentsberry 11, Brownleehil[l] 12, Clargil[l]cleugh Head 13, Going Gill 14, Cashburn 15, Blackburn 16

	These Severall Mines are mostly wrought out.  & but in a very indifferent State, & no prospect of much Oar being got out of any of them.  If they are undertaken, there should be new bounds taken with each of them, but as none of them are promising, there should not be more than 1/8th Duty paid for the Same.  A place called Bentyfield should be taken along with Thortergill & so should Loninghead.

	At Redgroves at Natris, if a Tryall is made there effectually it Should be by going deeper & bringing up a Levell.

	Greengill is husht by Mr Bacon, who has laid out £1000 there to no purpose.

	Rockhill is but of little Value, & has been husht by Mr Lee.

	Haggs in Nentsberry has been husht by Mr Aynesley and P[ar]tners, but is not at all hopefull; nor is Brownleehill:

	Clargill cleugh head, Going Gill, Cashburn & Blackburn, are no otherwise worth taking, than for a Term of two or three years, and that only in order to Hush, by which some Oar may be gott.



[In the margin:] Fletcherores & Carrs Grove 17 & 18

	Lately wrought by Sr John Mears, out of both which some Oar was got, & might be worth taking, if they could be had at 1/8.

	Fletcherous is mostly wrought out and was once exceeding rich, but Sr J Mears laid out a great Sum of Money there, to little or no purpose



[In the margin:] Set forth the Boundry desired

	Carrs Grove was also once very good, but is almost wrought out.  There is whole Ground lyes to the West of it, which looks fair for having Oar, & it would be would be worth adventuring at 1/8th Duty.



[In the margin:] Gallogill Lyke No 19

	Formerly wrought by Mr Ridley, but lately by Mr Aynesley got no Oar.  Adjoining it there is some untryed Ground which should be taken along with it, but the Prospect is so very indifferent that no more than 1/8th Duty should be given.

[In the margin:] Set forth the Boundary



[In the margin:] Guttergill No 20

      Wrought lately by D Wren, but drown’d out, & to make an effectuall Tryall, would cost £1000 to carry up a Levell, & should not be more than 1/8th Duty.



[In the margin:] Hutsgill No 21

	Was lately granted by Tack Note to Isaac Scafe, who made no Tryal but is very Hopefull, having found a good deal of Float Oar, but not the Vein it Self.



[In the margin:] Weatherellmees 22

	Wrought lately by Sr J Mears.  There are two Veins, & pretty large bounds of untryed Grounds and might be worth trying at a moderate Duty.



[In the margin:] Greenhill Syke 23, Garry Gill Burnh[ea]d 25, Cock Lake 26, Black Ash Gill 27, Scan Ends 28, Whinny Croft 29, Low Byar 30

	At those Severall Places, there are Veins, and great Bounds of untry’d Grounds, which might be worth trying at a Moderate rate, particularly Greenhill Syke.

	Set forth the Boundarys desir’d.



[In the margin:] Dryburn 31, <Doupy> Syke 32, Taylor Syke 33, Old Groves 34, Newberry Side 35, Balchill 36, Coatcloath Hill 37, Blackcloths 38

	Has been wrought, but not in the Memory of Man.



	Richard Harrison, Thomas White, William White & Jos Hutchinson are suppos’d to know of severall untry’d places, being Persons of experience & Skill in Mines.

	There are Severall Veins in Yell Fell, which belong to one Richardson, which cross towards Yell burn head in to the Derwentwater Liberty, which some Suppose to be Mr Blacketts rich Veins at Hirsley Row.  D Wren has a Lease of Yell Fell wch lyes to the West of the Derwentwater Boundary.