Letter – Henry Richmond to William Darwin – 14 Dec 1765

To Mr Darwin Greys Inn London                                        Newcas[tle]  14th Decem[be]r 1765

Sir     I have your Letter acquainting me that the Bishop of Durham’s Secretary, Mr Hodgson, has mentioned to you that there is a great part of Wolsingham Comon likely to be lost upon the present Division of it under the Act of Parliament thro[ugh] the indifference of the owners of the herbage, who think this part of no value to them; but wch if given up will be a considerable contraction of  S[i]r W[alte]r Blacketts boundary as Lesee of the mines. In answer to this it may be proper when you have an opportunity to acquaint him. That S[i]r W[alte]r Blackett formerly was desirous of preserving this piece of ground and in the year 1736 applied to the then Bishop of Durham to join with him in disputing it with Mr Hutchinson who was working a grove therein but neither He nor the owners of the herbage would be at any expence about it. However Sir W[alte]r prosecuted the affair as far as in reason he could and the matter in dispute was referred to Mr Collingwood & Lawyer Rudd for Sir W[alte]r & Mr Ford and Lawyer Gill for Mr Hutchinson who examined writings  witnesses & met at Auckland when the B[isho]p was there to examine his writings, but did not find any thing material in them.

On the other hand both Mr Collingwood and Mr Rudd told my father that by Mr Hutchinsons writings the Grove within this disputed ground was very clearly within the manor of Eggleston. But that no award was made because the bishop could not be concluded thereby. Mr Collingwood further told my father that after they had done they waited upon the Bishop and acquainted him how matters appeared to them, who returned them thanks for their trouble. Of all this I acquainted Mr Chris[tophe]r Johnson the B[isho]ps auditor in 1759 and sent him copies of such papers as I had relating to this affair & in Nov[embe]r last I sent him also a copy of the plan of the Ground in dispute. So that Sir W[alte]r has done every thing that can be expected of him as Lesee of the Bishop. And as to his own int[e]rest his Grove Steward thinks it will be little prejudiced by the loss of this ground, as there are no mines in it of any value.

I hope you have received Sir W[alte]rs dr[af]t on the Gov[eno]rs of Qu[een] Anns bounty for the purchase money of Mollersteads payable to you, and wch he sent on the 10th inst[an]t. I am etc HR