Letter – John Taylor to Mr Skelton – 2 Feb 1796

Gomersall 2d. Feby 1796

Sir,

      In reply to the Letter you Favour me with I have no difficulty in describing to you my Ideas & chain of reasoning of the Value of Col: Beaumonts Heaton Estate: if it can be of the Least use to you, tho I must conclude you know much better than me. _

      From every thing I can Learn the Land is run out, the Buildings ruinous, and the Tenants poor; now whoever hath this Estate their Business is to remedy all there. The way I presume to do this is to change most of the old Tennants, Lay out some money in the Buildings, and bind the whole of the Tennants to keep the buildings in good repair, and to put the Land in good condition, and to see they do this, but this cannot be done consistent with taking up the rents to the most any kind of poor tenants will offer, Men of any property equal to the Task will not take it so And the poor people who will take it at any price will probably never intend to pay all the rent or to remit it worse than it is, just for a present shift.

      I understand there is abt 5 or 6  people in Heaton that wish to become new Tennants not many of them in good circumstances that 6 to 8 acres of Land each would be as much as they could do any thing with, for if they had a great deal it would infallibly break them. They will want the Grass Land. The Bulk of the Land being Ploughing It ought to be let to substantial people and they will not take it but at a rent they can afford to pay in a Farming way.

      This premised I consider the advance the estate will bear so as to answer the above ends Mr Savills agent hath just relet his estate at Hunsworth adjoining yours at abt an advance say from <12> or 14s per acre to 15s or 17s But I will suppose yours can be advanced one third say to 22£ or 30£ a year and I think this is full as much as it will bear consistent with Letting to good substantial Tennants and having it brought into some kind of condition, and without this the owner may as well sit still.

      Now I think a purchaser should as money Lets at present make 3 1/2 to 4 per Cent of his Money what the expense of the act & Inclosure may be I cannot tell or the Value of the Coals this you must know better than me.

      By this statement you may judge of my sentiments of the intrinsic Value of the Estate But from the price you fixed I have given up all thoughts of being a purchaser for the whole.

Notwithstanding I remain

      On all Accounts Sir Your most hble Servt.

      John Taylor