Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 12 Jul 1772

Mr Mulcaster							Farnacres 12th July 1772



      I have reced your Letter of the 8th instant & think what you propose saying to the Man the first time he comes about the price of the Lead is right but if he returns for more I wd let him know you will assure him he shall pay only 20s PPig for the whole.

      As to Thomas Brown or any body else I desire youll not trouble yourself for if the Wall is not to be done for 4s Winning and Walling and 1s/6d Carriage it shall not be done at all.

      You have certainly done right in Smelting Brownleyhill and Middle Cleugh Ores mixed as they work more kindly together than separate and produce more Lead mixed than separate tho' that is a very trifling difference for in 78 Bings 6Cwt it is no more than 8Cwt 1 Qr & 2lbs in favour of the mixture.

      I am glad you are getting your Peats so well & that you are likely to get some good Bricks made at Langley Mill.   I am only in fear of one thing, which is, that in case our own people are made Masters of the Brick making Art they may turn rascals like the rest of the Tribe.  I am however in hopes, under your care, that we shall make honest Brick makers of them.   With regard to the Drought affecting our other Works, we must not repine at that, for as the several branches in the business require a variety of Weather, we must always rejoice, when we get that which is so suitable, as upon the whole to answer the several purposes of the Undertaking.

      Your mentioning the Drought puts mind of the several things which I have requested of you Viz That you will have all our Works going forward on Monday morning the 20th inst.  the Smelting from Ore and Slags at the four Hearths Refining and Reducing Stamping Slags and Washing Ore I would have all those going forward and rather than be disappointed I desire as much Water may be saved this Week as to enable you to show us all your branches.  The Stamping and Washing may be discontinued immediately after they have been seen if that should be found necessary by you and need not be begun til we are at the Mill.  I shall be with you on Sunday the 19th in the Evening and desire youll dine at Hexham that day when I expect you will meet with two or three Gentlemen and myself who will lye at your House that Night in the two Beds where Mr Smeaton and I lie.  You will be so obliging as let us have a Cold Veal Pye and a Loin of Muttton roasted also cold to be sure of which I wd have the Pye baked and the Mutton roasted the day before.  The Bullion if possible I beg may be taken off on Monday morning the 20th instant at any time from Seven to Ten o Clock, not later than Ten and the sooner after Seven the better.

      I am surprized at the Quantity of Lead in the Reducing Furnace bottom: the piece of 1 cwt 22 lb you are right in keeping & it may be melted down & mixed with Slag Lead as you propose.

      I am your hble Servt

      N W Junr



The produce of Middle Cleugh and brownleyhill Ores I find to be as follows: 



                               Cwt Qr Lbs

Middle Cleugh by itself p Bing     4 -  5

Brownleyhill by itself             3 2 14

Medium                             3 3 17 5/15

Middle Cleugh & Brownleyhill mixed 3 3 25



Middle Cleugh 46 1/2 bings at      4 -  5 

if they had been smelted by themselves shd have produced  138 – 8 1/2

Brownley hill 32 1/4 bings at      3 2 14 

if they had been smelted by themselves shd have produced  116 3 7 1/2

                                             Did produce  313 1

                                In favour of the mixture    8 1  2