Letter – Robert Johnson – 18 Oct 1740

In the Excheq.r



Concerning the Estates of the Late Earle of Derwentwater 



Robert Johnson of Ebchester in the County of Durham Gentleman & Ambrose Hopper of Fugar House in the Sd. County of Durhem Yeoman Severally make oath and say that in the months of July, Aug. & Sept. last past they these Depon[en]ts  Viewed & Careefull Examined the several Trees Standing & growing in & upon the several Woods Lands & Grounds hreafter mentioned that is to say Linburn, Harsondale, Lees, Allerwash, Plankey, Esphills, Lightbirks, Tedcastle, Deanraw, Sillywray, Lipwood, & Rattinraw, all in the Barony of Langley & County of Northumberland & Coastley Bogg & Boathouse Lane, Highwood and Longhope in the Parish of Hexham & sd. County of Northumberland, being part & p.cell of the Woods surveyed and valued by these Depon.ts & Edwd. Oxley of the Birks in the County of Northumberland Yeoman & Wm. Ramsey of Collierly in the County of Durham Yeoman in the Months of Aug, Sept, Octob. & Novemb. 1737 & Mentioned in an Affid[avit] by these Deponents & the Sd. Edw.Oxley & W. Ramsey made & sworn 9 Aug. 1739.  



And these Deponents further severally say that they have markd. & caused to be marked the several Trees standing and Growing in & upon the sd. Woods of Linburn Aforesd. in manner following  (to Witt) 1003 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.1003 both included, And that they have also marked the several Trees standing & growing in & upon Harsondale Wood aforesd. in manner as aforesd. (to witt) 2475 Oak Trees  from No.1 to No. 2475 both included & 36 ash Trees from No. 1 to No.36. And in Leaswood aforesaid (to witt)  2111 Oak Trees from No.1 to No. 2111 both included & 56 ash trees from No.1 to No.56 both included. And in Allerwash Wood aforesd. (to witt) 1674 Oak Trees from No.1 to No. 1674 both included & 124 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.124 both included & in Plankey Wood aforesd. (to witt) 474 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.474 both included & 61 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.61 both included, And in Esphill Wood aforesd. (to witt) 711 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.711 both included & 30 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.30 both included. And in Lightbirks Wood aforesd. (to witt) 719 oak Trees from No.1 to No.719 both included & 36 Ash trees from No.1 to No.36 both included. And in Tedcastle Wood aforesd. (to witt)  324 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.324 both included  & 8 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.8 both included, And in Dean raw Wood aforesd. (to witt) 465 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.465 both included & 44 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.44 both included  And in Sillywray Wood aforesd. (to witt) 448 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.448 both included & 86 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.86 both included. And in Lipwood aforesd. (to witt) 858 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.858 both included & 137 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.137 both included. And in Rattenraw Wood aforesd. (to witt) 57 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.57 both included And in Coastley Wood aforesd. (to witt) 877 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.877 both included, And in Bogg & Boathouse lane Wood aforesd. (to witt) 405 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.405 both included & 89 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.89 both included  And in Highwood aforesd. (to witt) 14861 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.14861 both included. And in Longhope Wood aforesd. (to witt) 1178 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.1178 both included. And in Meldon Wood aforesd. (to witt)  476 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.476 both included & 266 plain & other Trees from No.1 to No.266 both included. And in Hartburngrainge Wood aforesd. (to witt) 20 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.20 both included  & 246 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.246 both included. 



And this Depon.t  Ambros Hopper for himself further saith that in the Sd. Months of July Aug. & Septemb. he this deponent Viewed & Carefully Examined the several Trees Standing & Growing in & upon the several Woods Lands & grounds (that is to say) Calf Close, Stable Hill, Deer Close, Waterage banks, Castlehd,  Stands Hagg, the two Islands , Watsons park, Cockshott & Loeninghead, in the several manours or Lordships of Castlerigg Derwentwater and Thornthwaite in the County of Cumberland being other p.ts & p.cells of the Woods Surveyed & Valued by him this Depon.t  Ambros Hopper & the sd. Wm. Ramsey in the sd Months of August Sept. October  & Nov. 1737 & mentioned in an Affid.t by this Deponent Ambros Hopper & the sd. Wm. Ramsay  made & sworn the 9 day of August 1739. And this Depont. Ambros Hopper further saith that he hath Marked and Caused to be Marked the Several Trees Standing & growing in & upon Calf Close & Stablehill Woods aforesd. in Manner following (that is to say) 869 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.869 both included & 1269 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.1269 both included & 498 Birch & other Trees from No.1 to No.498 both included   And in Deer Close Wood aforesd. (to witt)  1045 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.1045 both included & 2507 Ash Trees from No.1 to No. 2507 both included & 1429 birch & other Trees from No.1 to No.1429 both included & in Waterage Bank Wood aforesd. (to witt) 1181 Oak Trees, from No.1 to No.1181 both included & 1278 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.1278 both included & 116 Birch & other trees from No.1 to No.116 both included  And in Castle Wood  aforesd. (to witt) 975 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.975 both included & 63 Ash Trees from No.1 to No.63 both included & 110 Birch & other Trees from No.1 to No.110 both included  And in Stands Hagg Wood aforesd. 257 Oak Trees from No.1 to No.257 both included & 95 Birch & other Trees  from No.1 to No.95 both included  And in the two Islands aforesd. 102 Oak & Ewe Trees from No.1 to No.102 both included. And 143 Ash Elm & other Trees from No.1 to No.143 both included  And in Watsons Park aforesd. 731 Oak trees from No.1 to No.731 both included  & 408 Birch & other Trees from No.1 to No. 408 both included  And in Cockshott Wood aforesd. 313 oak Trees from No.1 to No.313 both included And in Loaninghead Wood aforesd. 1238 oak Trees from No.1 to No.1238 both included. 



And these Deponents Robert Johnson & Ambros Hopper further severally saith that they thse deponts. Verily beleive that the sd. several trees in the Sd. several Woods above mentioned are the very same Trees  which were valued by them these Deponents & the Sd. Edwd. Oxley and Wm. Ramsey in the Sd. months of Aug. Sep. Oct. & Nov. 1737 as aforesaid According to the Best of these Deponents remembrance & Belief.

      Robert Johnson  Ambros Hopper 



Taken & Sworn at the Town & County of Newcastle upon Tyne the 18 day of Oct. in the year of our lord 1740 before me, John Airey a Comis.er of the Sd. Court.



The Original sent the Board 19 October 1740