Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 24 Apr 1736

To William Corbett Esqr

      Ravensworth Castle  April 24 1736

Sr 

	We have with difficulty at last gott Hall & Jopling to Enter into Bonds of Arbitration, to putt an End to the differences between them, which is to be done before Easter Term, as Mr Aynesley has obtained a Rule of Court against Jobling to shew Cause why the Inquisition should not be Quash’d.  We are apprehensive that an End may not be made in this Arbitration before Easter Terme, & therefore least it should be so we begg you will gett a Stop put to any proceedings in the Kings Bench against Jopling, as it may occasion an Expence to them both, if Suffered to goe further.

	Inclosed you have Coppys of Affidavitts taken by Mr Shaftoe Downs, relating the Tyths in dispute between Mr Wood & Mr Moore, as also a paper shewing Mr Woods reasons for the Nonpayment of petty Tyths & the nature of them.  Pray Sr have you gott the Grant of the Tyths of Hartburn Rectory, or on any Search found how Temple Thornton comes to be exemptted from Tyths.  It is most certain, necessary to know that, or we Shall not be able to defend Mr Woods Cause.

	Mr Calverly Blacketts Agent was with us at Dilston to whom we paid the Severall Rents due out of the Derwentwater Estate, as they appear in the outgoings Sent to us, but there is a demand made by him of £1.1.-d per Annum for Coastly Corn Tyth which we have no Accot of.  We believe it is due to Mr Blackett but without your orders would not pay it.

	Mr John Ridley from whom there is due £225 for Wood at Lady day last was with us & acquainted us that he expected his Bond given up on payment of the money to us, which is very reasonable he should have.  The Bond is in Mr Watsons hand, & as Ridley will not pay his Money without it being delivered up we desire you will Order Mr Watson to Send it to us, or that you will in Some way order it that we may have it.

	Mr Hutchinson has given orders to Mr Aynesley to arrest some of the Tennants who are in Arrear of Rent & in pursuance of it last Week he Seized upon the Goods of Redhead the Tennant of Whittall, which is very ill Judged as it is so near Mayday.  Mr Readhead has pd us no Rent since we have been concerned & is in Arrear to Messrs Hutchinson & Watson £48 so that we doubt there will be a Loss by him.  The Goods & Chattles of Readhead are to be Sold next Monday, but we doubt they will doe little more than Answer the Arrear to Marts 1734 so that we have nothing to depend upon but the Crop upon the Ground.

	We have by good fortune gott Mr Readheads Farm lett to a very good Tennant for one year Viz: from Mayday 1736 to Mayday 1737 with a promise to make him some Small abatement, which he has left to our Selves.  He desirous of taking the Farm on Lease, wch if he should doe we think he is not entitled to an abatement for the ensuring Year but if he Should not take on Lease we recommend it to the Hospital to a bate him £5 & think it reasonable to do so.

	Mr Busby of Dilston has not had any Accot from Lord Petre’s.  Shewing the right they have to the Goods in Dilston House, but he Says his Lordship wrote him that he would wait upon you and Satisfy you of the right they have.  It is now so near Mayday when the Goods Should be removed that we are afraid it will be an Inconvenience that we have not directions about them, Particularly as the House may be Tennanted by Major Wanless.

	The Chappell at Dilston verry much wants repairing in the Leaded pt of the roofe, as it takes in Wett so much that the Timber is Decaying, besides there is in the one end of it A Dove Coate which is very indecent in a Consecrated place & that being removed a Gallary might be made very comodiously which at A Small Expence would make the Chappell a verry decent place of worship.  We think the roof may cost abt £6 & the Gallary about £10.  The boat at Corbridge has been at abt £4   Expence in buying books & Surplice for the use of the Chapple which the late Rece[ieve]rs he Says promised him, but as he not been pd by them he has requested us to make a representation of it to the Directors whose Directions when we have Shall be pursued

	We Observe the mistake in our Cash Accot for last month which we have rectified & are Sr Your most Obedt Humble Servts

          Nichos Walton		Hugh Boag





At a meeting of the Directors of Greenwich Hospitall at Salters Hall the 19th March 1735/6 it was ordered that the Receivers of the Derwentwater Estate should explain in the most minute manner the Affairs in dispute carried on between Mr Wood and Mr Moore; and to particularize the best reasons Mr Wood alledges for not paying Tyths, and what are the nature of the Tyths in dispute.



	In answer to which Mr Wood has some years been Farmer of East als Temple Thornton, & Mr Moore has for Seven years last past been Farmer of the Glebe Lands & Tyths of the Vicarige of Hartburn.

	That Mr Wood nor his predecessors never pay’d any Petty Tyths to the Vicars of Hartburn, nor never knew a demand made for Such Tyths by any Person whatever, till of late that Mr Moore made a demand.

	That there is Sufficient proof, of no petty Tyths having been paid to, or demanded by the Vicars of Hartburn for 60 Years last past & upwards, by Persons living that can remember Eight Vicars to have been Recident and Incumbent in the said Vicarage.

	That this Estate was originally called Temple Thornton from some Temple or Religious House there, to which was paid a full Satisfaction or recompence out of this Estate, by which it is exmpted from the payment of the Tyths in dispute; but this is only by conjecture & unless it appear recorded in some place will be of no use.

	These are the reasons Mr Wood gives for the nonpaymt of Tyths

	The Tyths in dispute are Calfe, Foale, Wool, Lamb, Pigg, Poultry and Bees.  Valued at £10 per Annum.                                                               

      

      Nichos Walton      Hugh Boag 	Recrs

The 24 April 1736