Memorandum – Nicholas Walton – 25 Oct 1777

								Farnacres 25th October 1777

Sir

      The Boundary between the Manor of Alston Moor and the Regality of Hexham, being in general under no other description than that of the Division of Heavens water, it therefore happens in the extent of it, to be mostly upon the top of very high Ground, and the Summit is in many places of a considerable breadth, and nearly flatt; and being chiefly a Black Peat earth, the fall of the Heavens Waters has cut it into many meandering burns.

      It happens that Rampgill, which has for many years been one of the Principal Lead Ore Veins of Alston Moor, runs thro[ugh] the above Boundary, and the part where it runs thro[ugh] has in former times been fixed by a Cast or Ditch upon the Surface, the Vein perpendicularly under the said Cast, being also marked underground, yet notwithstanding this precision, in the Course of last Summer as the Works of Rampgill were advancing in the lower sills, or Strata, it was discovered that the Vein, in those Sills, had deviated from the course or direction, that had before been expected, and pointed towards apart of the Boundary beyond that which had been ascertained by the Cast or Ditch before mentioned, which is commonly known by the name of Rampgill Ditch and as at the end of this Ditch, the Boundary by Heavens Water, also makes a considerable turn; we thought it of great consequence to the Hospitals affairs, to have this part of the Boundary settled, and the Ditch extended; and as the Regality of Hexham had lately come to Sir Thomas Blackett, a very distant Relation of the late Sir Walter Blackett who had only a life Estate therein, we thought it of consequence, that no time should be lost, in feeling how Sir Thomas stood affected towards an amicable Settlement of this busyness, and finding him well inclined thereto, and we being wishfull that no contrary impression might take place, it was thought proper to propose a Meeting of Agents on both sides, to try to set out the Bounder line, conformable to the description allowed on both sides: Vis the Division of Heavens Water. Accordingly the Agents met upon the Ground the 6th 7th & 8th inst. Vis Messrs Walton & Smeaton, assisted by Mr Hilton the Moor Master, on the part of Greenwich Hospitals, and Messrs Bell and Dickinson, assisted by Mr Westgarth Forster, on the part of Sir Thomas: and we have the pleasure to acquaint the Board, that after 3 days hard labour and rainy weather, upon the Heights of the Country (which last was of considerable use in determining our operations, by shewing the actual Division of Heavens Water)* we happily got the Boundary set out, between the Manor of Alston Moor and the Regality of Hexham, from the Bounder Currock at Kilhope Head, to the Currock at the North End of the Hardrigg; being in extent upwards of five Miles; taking in the whole of the Boundary, between those two Manors, that is likely to be intersected by any of the Principal Mines of the Hospital. This was done to the entire satisfaction of all Parties present and that there might be no after dispute among the Agents, how the particular parts of the Boundary were set out, it was unanimously agreed, that a Cast, or Ditch, should be made in our progress, and having engaged a sufficient number of Men to follow us, the whole was compleatly marked out, as we proceeded; and we have since directed a Survey and Plan to be made made of the Boundary as now set out which by way of distinction we have called the long Ditch. The Plan, as soon as finished, shall be sent to you, and we trust that our operations on this occasion will meet with the approbation of the Board. We are

      Sir  Your most Obed[ien]t Servants

      Nich Walton Jun J. Smeaton