Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 16 Jun 1738

To Wm Corbett Esqr 						Ravensworth Castle  June 16. 1738



Sir

	I wrote you the 11 Inst. to which I beg leave to referr that I intended sending you this post an Accot. of the severall Bargains I have made for Building & repairing Housing in the Derwentwater Estate, which I accordingly herein send you, & hope Mr Boag will Stay another Board day in order to Clear up anything the Board may want to be Informed in relating the Severall Contracts I have made Subject to their Approbation.

	The Tennants in Generall think it hard to be at any Expence of Leading materials & as you will observe (by the Remarks I have made to the Severall Agreements) many of them absolutely refuse & say they cannot bear it considering the Advance of their Farms. I have agreed with the Tennants of Newlands and Whittonstall Manour, who have Consented to bear one quarter part, which I rather think a hardship upon them, but as the Expence in the whole will run very high I have done all I can to keep it Down. The prices agreed to by the Tennants of Whittonstall & Newlands I send you inclosed.

	Whitechappell Housing Stands upon the Banks of the River Tyne on a very high precipice of Sliding Clay & Gravell which in very great flood occasions a shrink in the Bank as it has done in the late floods which not only Waists the Lands of the Hospitall, but inDangers the Dwelling House & Outhousing I have therefore Inclosed sent you an Estimate of the Charge of Fencing off the water so as to preserve not only the Housing but the Land adjoyning it which (as it is a very necessary peice of Work) I hope the Directors will Order to be done as Soon as they think Convenient: the Season is now good.

	The Inclosed Agreements amount to £1409-10-0 & I am Sir Your most Obed. Servt

      Nich. Walton