Letter – Diana Beaumont to Martin Morrison – 6 Mar 1827

I have received a letter from Mr. Bird respecting Warden, since his return, he is you know to hold that living for my Son Henry, who can hold it in 4 years, when he will be 24 – Captn. Beaumont arrived on Sunday from Portsmouth to see us, he was obliged to return the next day to pay his Ship off, when he will return here for good. He is looking extremely well and in good spirits – Mr. Bird passed a few days with the late Mr. Thompson Son, he found a few years ago, the boundaries between the Parishes of Warden & Simonburn were disputed between the Townships and brought before the Quarter Sessions who referred the division to Mr. Richmond & Mr Newburn & Mr Richmond being a Proprietor in the Township of Simonburn and therefore interested. They decided against the Township in Warden Parish upon very slender evidence on the part of Simonburn & against very strong on the part of the Township (Haydon Bridge) in their Parish, the determination however was final as to the Assess[ment]ts. but had properly nothing to do with the Tithes yet the Rector of Simonburn availed himself of the decision to claim the whole of the Tithe of that portion so detached, which had formerly and uniformly paid half of its Tithe to Warden – Mr. Thompson communicated the affair to Mr. Thomas but as no notice was taken of it, and he submitted to the loss, there are 2 large Farms the Chesters and Walwick Grange which pay each 2 Cart loads of Hay in lieu of Tithe, but as the Law never admits anything paid in kind to be a Modus, they might well be compelled to pay full Tithe. Mr. Bird says he thinks it right to mention these cases to me before he accepts them, and so confirm by his acquiescence those Illegal claims , he adds if I think fit to recover the right of the living, he will willingly give his labour and attention to the subject, and bear a fair proportion of the expence – this appears to me very fair, and I will agree to his proposal, when you have seen Mr. Bolam which I really will be obliged to you to do, & read to him Mr. Bird’s com[municatio]n to me, he says the Manor of Warden must belong to us the Black Book recites it as belonging to the Abbey Mr. Bell said he knew nothing of it, except that he receives some quit Rents or Fee Farm rents from some Lands in nether Warden, I wish Mr. Bolam would enquire into this. – 

I am Sir yours Faithfully

D. Beaumont



I am desirous to make Warden a good living for my Son Henry –





[on verso:] March 1827/ Extract from Mrs Beaumont’s letter to Mr. Morrison as to the Living of Warden

[pencil notes given on left hand side of sheet in another hand:] 

Mem. as to the subject of this letter

Also as to Mr Mewburn’s letter

<F….> as to the damage of Ground

As to Jos Rowlan’s application to purchase a site for a House on Ardley Allotmt on Hexham Fell 1 chain long & 1 wide  £10

As to <newson Watlas> application for a site near <Kewtain> School <….  Up> the Bank





[from another sheet enclosed with the above, possibly, given its heading and subject matter, a separate extract from the same letter, although this is unclear:]

Extract from Mrs. Beaumonts Letter to Mr. Morrison/ March 1827



I find Mr. Bird removes from Hoyland to Warden in May. He says there is a Copy of an Act of Parliament with an Award of Gunnerton Common in Mr. Bell’s possession, I should be glad if you would authorize Mr. Bell to give it up to me, as I should probably find it useful in the way of distinguishing the different Fields in the Township. I will be obliged to you to request Mr. Crawhall to write to Mr. Bell to say he has an authority to <lend> them out of the Office to Mr. Bird taking his receipt for them. Mr. Bird has at present the Black Book of Hexham in his possession and I hold his receipt for it. He expects it may be of service to him in recovering rights in Warden.