Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 5 Nov 1736

To Wm Corbett Esqr

                                                                                     Ravensworth Castle  Novr 5th 1736

	I gott home from holding the Courts etc last Sunday evening but coud not last post acquaint you with such things as came under my observation upon my Journey I Shall therefore now doe it as fully as I can

	I wrote you from Hexham that the Persons Claiming right to the Collry in Tarrett Burn & Blackburn called high Green Colliery, had come to a resolution to quit that Claim & to become Tennants to the Hospitall, & they have accordingly given up quiet possession thereof to our Bayliffs Mr Johnson & Mr Bunton.  James Dodds proposed to take the Colliery at £10 per Annum & I hope you have Confirmed in his favour.

	All proper means Shall be pursued to have Justice from Mr Aynesley with regard to the Incroachments made by him on the Derwentwater Estate as also for with holding the Court Rolls & other papers relating thereto.  I hear I have greatly disobliged him by having him presented at the Severall Courts

	There are Severall Tennants in Alston Moore who pay Twenty penny Rents, that have neglected paying the Same, as I am told for some years at least they have not payd any since we have been Concerned in the Estate, & unless distress is made those Persons will not pay at all & not only so but it will encourage others to the same neglect.  I shoud therefore advise distress being made on the Defalters but I Shoud first be informed what Arrears are Standing out due before Marts 1734

	I find there are Severall Small Incroachments in this Manr which I have ordered the Moore Master to take an Accot of in order that they may be laid before the Grand Jury, whose busyness it is to make presentment thereof at the next Courts, & when Such presentmt is made a Rent of 3s per Acre has been usually Sett to be paid Annually Or a fine of 6/8d per Acre on Such Inclosure as was Made, without paying a Rent annually.  The latter is the more ancient Custome

	I was greatly Concerned to hear the Crys of the poor workermen in Alston Moore, who are laid off work, but as I hope Leases will be soon granted they will gett to Work in a little time.  They are in great apprehensions of the Mines being lett to one Person, & Some who have expended large Sums of money will greatly Complain of it  I Observe by the Boards Minutes of the 27 of Octr last that they are determined to lett ‘em in that Manner which I must begg leave to Say is I think against their Interest.  This I am certain of that it will be a discouragement to discoverys, & Shoud they be lett to some Gentn who are greatly Interested in the Lead Trade it Cannot be expected but his or their own Mines must be pursued with Vigr & those in Alston Moore neglected, I shoud be Sorry to See it so, as I doubt not but (if the Mines were wrot to the best advantage) they will turn to good Accot.

	Inclosed you have the Severall proposals made to me from the 23 of Octor last to the 28 Inclusive as also what others I reced yesterday & this day, Wm Lee of Lowbyre has come up to the former proposall that was made for that Farme and as he is a good and old Tennant I hope the Directrs will favour him with the preference

	The Tennants at Keswick you will observe do not all agree to take for 21 years there fore I have incerted a Column in the abstract Shewing the number of years proposed by each.  They all expect Hedgeboot, Gates & Styles during their Lease and all Taxes allowed as has been usual & will not agree on any other Termes.  The advance in this Estate will I doubt be small tho’ I hope it will Come higher than the Inclosed proposals as I left directions with Mr King to make proclamation that he was impowered to to receive proposals.  I had a Letter from Mr Andrew Smith, Attorney at Law in Cheepside London desiring the particulars of Keswick Estate to whom I gave answer last Post & referred him to Mr Boag for any particulars or Information he wanted.  This I take to be with a View to purchase rather than take on Lease for twenty One year

	The Lead Mine in this Estate is reported to be more hopefull than She has been & in order to Judge of it I took Mr Stephenson Moore Master with me to Keswick who reports to me that the prospect is Small as farr as he coud See, but by a Stop in the Water Course he was preventing Seeing all

	There is a verry great abuse in Keswick & Thornthwaite Estates by the Erection of Steel Mill which I apprehend the Tennants have no right to Erect being by the Custome of the Mannors obliged to grind at the Lords Mill.  You will observe an advance of £4 per Annum in Case these Mills are laid a Side.  We are also at a loss for want of the grant of Keswick Tolls whereby the Farmer looses greatly as Severall refuse the payment of Tolls which Consequently must lessen the the Annual Value

	The Revd Mr Jefferson of Cockermouth has been with me Soliciting hard for leave to receive his money of Wm Miles for Birch & Alder Sold off his Arbitrary land in the Mannor of Thornthwaite I have made enquiry in to the right & Custom of these Arbitrary Tennants & I find that they never had a right to Cutt down Timber of any kind without the Lords permission.  That they always were allowed to Cutt Birch & Alder for their own use in Repaires upon the Estate, but that no other person but the Lord of the Mannour had a right to Sell Wood of any kind.  Mr Jefferson is not Satisfyed with this but Says he will make a representation of his Case to the Board; I am Satisfyed he has no right

	I had almost for gott to acquaint you with Mr Hutchinson late Receiver & his partner having drove a drift or Levell out of the Liberty of Thornthwaite into a Lead Mine of the Duke of Somersetts without Licence & have drawn at the Hospitalls Shaft what Oare has been wrought out of the Dukes Liberty,  The damage to the Hospitall may have been Considerable, as they have had an opertunity of working Oare out of either Liberty, & reporting according as they thought proper, it is not likely they woud while working in this way report much to be wrought out of Thornthwaite as the Duty in the Dukes is 6/10 & ours only 1/7th  I have discharged the Persons imployed from proceeding further

	I cannot possible gett any Cash Accot for last Month to be Sent this Post but I hope to send it the next.  I have Sent this day to Mr Maddocks five Bills for £875 - 2d

	The Wood at Newlands which was taken from the present Spring we have gott wrought up & all Sold & the money will be reced in a Small time, you have the particulars of it below Vizt







  3000 Main Coale props at 2d           £25. .

  1798 Top Coale Do     at 3 1/2d        26. 4. 5

  191 Sleepers at 8d                      4. 7. 4

  11 Side Shafts                             4. 1 1/2

                                        £55.15.10 1/2

Deduct

  Charge of Converting   £3.  .

  Leading                19.15. 6

  Damage to Tennants abt  5.  .         £27.15.6

                                    Net £28.  .4 1/2



By this Sr you Observe that the Hospitall will receive £28.-.41/2 Neet for these weedings & for Bark £40.6.2d & deducting the Charge of weeding there remains Neet £52.4.31/2 & the price at Spring I dar venture to Say about £100, better, may in time much more, & Mr Boag will Inform you how father it will be proper to thin again next Spring

	Mr Potts of Throckley has been with me this day & has paid me £100, his half years Rent due Marts last & he assures Assures me his Circumstances is Such that the Hospitall will be intirely Safe you will See Sr that he is outbid by his under Tennants £21 per Annum but how farr they are capable I know not.  Mr Potts says he will find Security of it is required

	Inclosed you have the Severall Offerers with the places of their abode to the 23 October last                         I am             Sr    Yor most Hble Servt

                                                                      Nicho Walton