Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 17 Oct 1736

To Wm Corbett Esqr



Sr                                                                                   Ravensworth Castle  October 17 1736

	When Mr Boag and I wrote you of the 12th Inst we had not time to give you any answer as to the division of Scremerston as directd by the Board at their meetg at Salters Hall the 6th Inst I now therefore give you the followg reasons why it will be of advantage to the Hospitall

	This piece of ground called the priors land lyes interpers’d in Severall ridges in the So Side of Scremerston & in that part now farmed by Mr Clavering & the possessor of that Small Estate has 6 Stents in Common wth Mrs Clavering & he has also a right of Common by vertue thereof

	In all Common fields the persons therein Interested makg Improvement Equally & keepg Equall Stock of Cattle  In proportion to their Interest Share Equally in the Profitts & Consequently in that Case Divisions wd in no respect be an advantage.  on the Contrary where division Improvements are un Equall wch is Generally the Case in Common Fields the person who Improves is a Suffered and Consequently Lands Lying in Common <...> Discouragement to Improvmt in Generall

	At Scremerston you observe Sr a great advance is proposed & undoubtedly who Ever is the Farmer thereof had a View towards the Improvmt of the Moor & Common wch I apprehd the Hospitall cant give him a right to go wthout the Consent of the other party Interested therein, & that being the case & the motive wch Induces the Farmer to give an advance being partley owng to the Improvmt he Intends to make in the Common I humbly apprehend his being Depriv’d of it will lessen the advance of the Estate Consequently a Division is an advantage to the Hospitall.

	I Apprehend Mr Armorer is Intituled to a Share of the Common in the Same proportion wch His Inground bears to the whole Inground & that Shou’d be laid of together so as it may least interfere wth the Hospitall Estate but I Humbly Conceive is not proper for the Surveyor to lay it of in the Draught till the Division is actually made.  I have wrote to Mr Armorer to Send me a State of the Mannor he in wth proposes to have this Division made wch Shall be sent you as soon as It comes to my hand

	Inclosd I sent you a Sketch of that part of Scremerston in wch the Colliery has been & will be wrought for some years wth the Opinion of Mr Barnes whom we sent over to View the situation of the ground & to Consider the Expence of makg a new levell or winning the makg of this levell will undoubtedly be an advantage to the Hospitall but I am of Opinion wth Mr Barnes that the Expence thereof cannot be verry well Judged of without a Tryall be made by boring.  The Leasers of the Collry Should give Sufficct bond for performance on their part If the Lessor is at Expence of the Levell

	When I am upon this Subject I beg leave to recomend it to the Directors that they reserve a Liberty to make Erection of Salt or other works upon the premises & Coales for the Use of all their Tennts at a Stipulated price

	You will be pleasd Sr to observe that Mr Aynsley has  incrch’d 

  

  at Low hall                   A    5.1. 8

  At Threepwood this was Called 50  23.- 30

  on Grindon Common                 98.1.11

  Incroached in all                128.3. 9



in which there is no steps taken nor was there any intended till the Courts are kept when it’s Intended to present him at those Courts where he is presentable wch I hope the Directors will approve of

	Inclos’d I sent you Mr Stephenson Moor Maisters letter & Accot of the Dues raised at peatstack hill by wch It does not appear that she is so rich as has been represented.

	Inclos’d you will receive the abstract of proposals made in the Last week in wch you will observe an advance of £10 on Alerwash more than we Computed it to be worth  The person who makes it is a roman catholick

	I sent Mr Maddock Last post bills for £193 on Accot of the rents of the Derwentwater Estate

	Mr Boag Set out Last Thursday morning & will I hope be with you on Wednesday & I shall go from Hence to Morrow to attend the holdg the Court at Newlands on Thursday the 19th Inst at Haydon Bridge on the 20th at wark the 21 & 22d & at Aldston the 26th and I shall go from thence to Keswick where a letter will meet me the 28 or 29th but unless you have any particular Commands necessary for me at that place I Desire I desire you will direct to me as Usuall as I Shall be at home the 31 Inst or the 1st of Next month.

	I have had Severall of the Tennants wth me desirg to know If their agreements are Confirmed by the Board & they seem verry uneasy to be on a certainty and unless I can at my return give them Final answers it wll be a generall uneasiness.

	I am Sr  Your Most Humble Servt

                            Nichos Walton