Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Ibbetson – 4 Feb 1792

      Farnacres 4th February 1792

John Ibbetson Esq.



Sir

      We take the first opportunity of sending you the inclosed Letter from Sir Thomas Blacketts Principal Agent at Hexham proposing on the part of Sir Thomas that for the sake of Peace and ending all Disputes the Ground which has been long in controversy between the Owners of the Barony of Langley and the Owners of the Regality of Hexham shall be equally divided between the respective Owners of the s[ai]d Barony and Regality and staked out and unalterably fixed either by the intended Act for the Dividing and Stinting the Allendale & Hexhamshire Wastes or Commons or by the Award for the Division and Stinting; but that should the proposal not meet the Commissioners and Governors of Greenwich Hospitals ideas it is by no means to be considered or made use of in future as a Dereliction of Sir Thomas’s rights to the whole of the Tract of Land in dispute.

      As we are satisfied that the dividing of the disputed Ground equaly will be the best way of settling the old difference we recommend that the busyness may be gone in hand with, without a moments delay or otherwise there will not be an opportunity of having a proper clause inserted in the Consent Bill for in our Opinions the whole must be unalterably fixed by the Act which will be easier done than by introducing a Clause to enable the Commissioners for the Division to fix it by their Award.

      We have not yet been enabled to communicate to the Directors Heads sufficiently explicit as to the intended Terms of Division etc., but shall not fail acquainting you with the particulars as soon as they are got properly arranged which in so complicated a Busyness is found to be not a little difficult. We will however observe that it is at present proposed to have Three Commissioners One to be nominated by the Lord of the Manor One by the Commissioners and Governors of Greenwich Hospital and a third by the Proprietors at large or the third by the other Two. We are told, and have no doubt it is so that Sir Thomas Blackett intends Naming Mr. William Bates who is esteemed as a Man of judgement and very proper for such a busyness; and we beg leave to recommend Mr John Fryer of Newcastle a Man in every respect well quallified for such an undertaking and should be glad to receive the Boards commands whether upon being applied to we may or may not name him as a Commissioner, on behalf of Greenwich Hospital.

      In the setting out the difficult Ground equally we think it cannot be done better than by Messers Bates and Fryer, the Agents of the Owners of Langley Barony and the Regality of Hexham at the same Time attending and shewing the respective Claims fairly on each side. We beg to receive as early directions as possible and are

      Sir Your most obedt. Servts.

      Walton & Turner



PS A Rich Vain of Lead Ore which runs into the Manor of Alston Moor will be in 37 Fathoms of where it is cut in Priorsdale has been lately discovered & in consequence of which we expect Two Proposals in a little Time