Letters – John Erasmus Blackett to John Bell – 28 Jul 1797

Mr Bell Hexham Abbey                                                                 Newcastle    28th July 1797

       

Dr Sir	I recd your letters of the 25th & 27th ins the latter enclosing Mr Tweddels letter, which I return you, & I have no doubt that the matter in dispute respecting the rating of Allen Lead Mill to the Poor Cess will be amicably settled.  I have been applied to by the Bishop of Durham & Mr N Walton respecting the ascertaining the Boundary between the Manor of Stanhope, & that of Alston Moor; it is proposed that it shall be done in the like manner of that of the Regality of Hexham, & the Manor of Alston Moor in 1777.  I have consented to it on the part of Mr Beaumont & must request that you will meet the several Agents to settle that business, of which you will have previous notice sometime before Mr Walton.  Mr Dickinson & Mr Emerson will attend with you _ I have had a letter from Mr Beaumont who is desirous of knowing in what state the Abbey is in & whether the Approach to the House may not be made more commodiously at the West front?  Pray did you see Mr Newton Senr when he was at Hexham this week?  & in what state was he?                    I am etc  J.E.B



210,78

204,49

415,27 equal 5 Miles & 336 Yards, Sett out in 3 Days in 1777

172,00 equal 2 Miles & 264 Yards from Killhopehead to that part of the Boundary of the Bishop of Durham adjoining upon Eshgill liberty in Priorsdale



6th 7th & 8th Octr 1777.  The Boundary of 5 Miles in length was settled by the Agents & a Ditch cut in their presence  _ Mess Walton & Smeaton assisted by Mr Hilton the Moor Master of the Manor of Alston Moor on the part of Greenwich Hospital _ & Mess Bell & Dickinson assisted by Mr Westgarth Forster on the part of Sir Thomas Blackett.  We have been happy ever since & have no difficulty now in determining the Boundaries underground as at the Surface all is known exactly _ The Boundary between the Manor of Alston Moor & the Regality of Hexham, is in general under no other description than that of the Division of Heavens Water or as the old Bounder papers describe it from one Bounder mark to another _ sicut aqua celestis divisit.  The Boundary of the Manor of Alston Moor joining the Manor of Stanhope is as above by the Division of Heavens Water - it extends upon the Ridge of very high ground & the summit is in many places of a considerable breath & nearly flat and being chiefly composed of Black Peat Earth the Rain water has in course of years cut it into many meandering hollows or Sykes the higher extremities  of which extend beyond each other into the two Manors so that the Rain which falls clearly within the Manor of Stanhope runs in many instances into the Manor of Alston Moor & in many other instances the Rain which falls in the Manor of Alston Moor runs into the Manor of Stanhope and the hollows or Sykes are subject to alter and are extending farther & farther into each Manor it seems necessary to have something done effectually to ascertain the Boundary which should most undoubtedly run & really must be by a Line running between the extremities of the hollows or Sykes - See Rough Sketch.