Letters – John Bell to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 11 Dec 1799

         							Hexham Abbey 11th. Decem. 1799

Sir                                    

      Yesterday I attended the Meeting of the Trustees of the Alemouth Road and requested to know if they had given up the Idea of bringing the Road from the South End of Hexham through your Fields to the West Mill Lane and they gave for Answer they meant that by the new Act the End of the Alemouth Road should terminate in the Market place  instead of the Glenwhelt Road near the East End of the Town of Hexham    I then replied that the Trustees having chosen a Line of Road you had accomodated them with Ground for that Road agreeable to your offer and having done so you thought it rather hard that you should be called upon again to furnish more Ground  -  they then said you had not given them any thing and called the Road Lordship's Road and added that it was made not only against their Desire but contrary to both their Wish and their Will and that was done was by an Order made by the Trustees Resident in the Neighbourhood of Alnwick near the East End of the Road who knew nothing of the Situation of the Roads about Hexham nor how the Town would be accomodated or inconvenienced by the proposed Alteration  which Frank Tweddle and Soulsby got those Trustees to make an order for    - I said nothing to them about restoring your Fields to what they were before because what was taken off them was a very narrow Lip at the Sides not worth mentioning and in some places not the Breadth of the new Wall which the Trustees built

      Mr Ruddock Clerk to the Trustees has Orders to write you upon this Business and if you have not a Letter from him by the Time you receive this you will get one in a Post or two   -  He is much for the Road through your Fields and has orders to set forth to you the Names of the several Gentlemen at the sundry Meetings held about the Road as desirous of having it in that Direction but I know some of the Gentlemen Logged it with this Condition that no additional Expence was to be laid upon the Tolls in that Account

      Bainbridge of the Riding who is just returned from the Northumberland Provisional Cavalry was at the Meeting yesterday and said to me Coll. Beaumont in his Situation should not oppose the Road coming through his Fields it was an ungracious thing and bid me give it up to which I replied I could give up nothing nor was I insisting the Road should not come that way I was only so presenting what you had done and taking Notice that it was hard you should be called upon again to have your Fields cut  -  Bainbridge is a very silly Fellow  -  what Business had he to mention your Situation in the Company     --    I am

                                               Sir Your Faithful and obed. Servt.

                                                                 John Bell