Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 5 Sep 1736

To Wm Corbett Esqr



Sr                                                                                   Ravensworth Castle  Sepr 5th 1736

	Inclosed you will receive a Rentall of the Derwentwater Estate with the Number of Acres in each Farme, except Dewy Syke in the Barony of Langley, Langley So Common, Alston Manour Inclosed Lands and Keswick Inclosed Lands, which we have not yett gott from the Surveyor who is now at Keswick & who we expect home in a few days, when he comes home we will take care to Send you the Severall quantitys so as the Rental may be filled up where it is now blank, to make the whole Compleat.

	In this Rental is not only incerted the Number of Acres, in each Farme; but the Rent of Such Farm as it is now Lett, & the value of it as we have according to the best of our Judgmt Computed it may be lett against Mayday 1737.  You will observe Sr that in the Rentall Scremerston Estate is only reckoned to lett for £570 whereas it was in a Computation Sent by us to the Board the 30 Jany last, Supposed to be worth £600-13-6d per Annum, we are afraid that we were then too high in our Computation & therefore after having duly considered it are of Opinion that it will not exceed our present Computation.

	We hope that the Valuation of the whole Estate is pretty near what it will Lett for, tho’ in Some parts we may be over & Some Short, but this we can assure you that is done in the most impartial manner & according to the best of our Judgment.

	It may possibly happen that we cannot come at Such Rents, for some parts of the Estate, as they may be deserving of, & Pticularly so, wn at a time that all the Estate is out of Lease together, there must be a great hurry in Letting;  In Such Case it will be proper not to lett on Lease for 21 years, but to continue the Present Tennts for one year more at Such an advance as we can come at, & by that means we shall have more time & be better able to bring People to Such Terms as are agreeable on a Lease for 21 years.

	The Covenants that are to be incerted in Leases, we must we apprehend be governed in by the Custom of the Country, & we Shall be obliged to putt all Tennants Housing into a Reasonable Tennantable Repaire, & to build in Such parts as is necessary for the benefitt and Improvement of the Estate;  You will observe Sr that by the Rentall Sent herewith there is an advance in the Lands of £1266-1-11/2d per ann an advance which cannot be expected unless Tennants have Conveniences made for improvement, it will be therefore we humbly apprehend necessary that the Directors consider it & give us Such directions, as we may not be at a Loss in Treating with Tennants as to their Repaires after Michs day.

	In ours of the 24 Augt last, we Sent you the names of Severall Lead Mines, which George Liddell Esqr proposed to take for himself & Friends but then did not incert the Dues, wch they intended to give to the Hospl they have Since proposed to take two more Veins & you have the whole incerted amongst the Severall biddings.  Since the 24 Augt last, wth what Due they intend to give for each.  Collonel Liddell has taken great pains to putt Severall Gentn upon being Adventurers, who have not hitherto been so, & there is also Severall others who have been Adventurers, with whom he intends to be Concerned.  There are in all 16 or 20 Gentn who are most of them Men of Fortune & able to make Sufficient Tryalls in any thing they undertake, & we are well assured that whatever they engage in the whole will be carried on with the utmost Spirit & Advantage to the Hospitall.  One thing we are desired to lay before the Directrs & that is this;  There are two or three Lead Veins wch they propose to take & desire to have leave to Hush in the upper Sills which are wrought out, while they are driving Levells for winng the lower Sills, & Subject to the approbation of the Moor Master & us, that it will not be detrimental to any working Mines, We have made it our business to enquire how farr, the practice of Hushing may be detrimental & find that tho’ it is of very ill Consequence in many places yett it is of use in others, as by that means, Oare is gott that cannot be gott in any other way, & provided it appears to us upon a View that hushing in the above mentioned places are no way prejudicial to any working Mines, it must in Consequence be of advantage to the Hospital.

	Inclosed is our Cash Accot on which remains a Ballance in our hands of £134-12-3d & we are Sr   Yours etc

            Nichs Walton		Hugh Boag