Report – James Stuart – 16 Aug 1774

Tuesday 16th Aug[us]t

      Proceeded this morning to view the remainder of Raw Green, & the other Farms in Hexhamshire, taking, in our way,

      Whitley Mill & Ground, under Lease to Isaac Burnhope for 21 Y[ea]rs ending in 1779 at £26 pAnn. The Land consists of 7A. 0R. 35P (exclusive of two incroachments made about 20 y[ea]rs ago containing something more an Acre) and is valued at £7 pAnn. being about 20s/pAcre. It is chiefly meadow & adjoins to Rowley Water which has carried away about 2 Roods of Abbey Holme. There are a few Oaks & Ash upon it. The Mill which was built about 2 Y[ea]rs ago, is valued at £19 pAnn. & is in very good condition.

      From hence we proceeded to Raw Green which contains 138A. 0R. 24P is under Lease to Robert Lowes Esq. of Hexham, for 21 Y[ea]rs expiring in 1779 at £45 pAnn. Being about 6s/6 ¼ d pAcre. We found it in the occupation of Thomas Askew & Thomas Bell Sub Tenants. It consists of between 50 & 60 Acres of meadow & pasture, some Woodland & the rest arable of which a very small portion is in fallow. There are some good Oaks upon this farm particularly upon Far Banks (3) and Will’s Field, the latter of which wants weeding & thinning. In Broomy pasture is a wood with some shrubby Oaks which are past their growth & should therefore be cut down & sold as should some of the same sort in Jenny’s Darg, and the ground properly prepared, planted again with Acorns & firmed in; for without the latter it is in vain, as we have already observed, to attempt the growth of Timber with any success, and, with it, in many places planting would be unnecessary, as the young Oaks would spring in sufficient quantities from the Acorn & come to maturity if protected from the Bite of Cattle.

We cannot quit this Farm without mentioning with concern, that the Ax appears but too plainly to have been made an improper use of in the woods, several of the Oaks having been robbed of their Branches in a very shameful manner & other mischief done. The Tenant Bell, who is suspected to have been an old Offender, was charged with being concerned, but positively denied it’s having been done by him or by any body else with his privity. However there was too much reason to doubt his veracity, and we therefore recommend that Mr Lowes be immediately called upon to turn him out of the Farm.

      We next proceeded to Uppermyre House which Farm contains 50A. 0R. 3P and is under Lease to William Henderson & Wm Noble for 21 Y[ea]rs expiring in 1779 at £22 pAnn. being about 8s/9 ½ d pAcre It consists of about 15 or 16 Acres of meadow and pasture, the remainder arable, nine of which is in fallow. There are a great many Oaks on this farm, some in a thriving state, & others (which ought to be cut down & sold) past their growth.

      NB there are 2 Sets of Housing on the above Farm, which (except the Barns & Stables) are very indifferent.  There are 2 Sets of housing which are small & ordinary, except a Stable which is  pretty good. We went next to

      Netherholmes which Farm contains only 8A. 2R. 37P & is under lease to Alice Winter for 21 Y[ea]rs expiring 1779 at £8 pann. Being about 18s/3 ¼ d pAcre. It consists but of 2 fields, one of which (5 Acres) is chiefly meadow & pasture, the rest Arable. The Dwelling House is old & small the Stable pretty good. From hence we proceeded to the

      Stapples which Farm contains together 63A. 2R. 31P, but is now divided & lett to the undermentioned persons for 21 Y[ea]rs ending in 1779 as follows, viz.

      To George Dixon 34A. 1R. 20P at £15 pAnn. being about 8s/8 ¼ d pAcre. About ½ of this farm is meadow & pasture the latter very rough & swampy, the remainder Arable. There are a great many Oaks past their growth in the Field called the Dales, which should be cut down & sold & the Ground stubbed. there are some of the same sort in the Wood pasture & some which are in a thriving state. We recommend the Bank of the last mentioned Field which adjoins the Devil’s Water to be planted & fenced, being a very proper place for growing wood upon & scarce fit for any other purpose.

      To William Angus 29A. 1R. 11P. at £15.10s.0d PAnn. being about 10s/8 ¼ d pAcre. this Farm consists of about ½ meadow & rough rushy pasture some of which wants draining, the rest arable. There are 2 sets of housing in the above Farms, which (excepting a Barn & Stable built a few Y[ea]rs ago) are but in very indifferent condition.

      There we finished the Hexhamshire Estates, the wood upon which has been lately valued at £1575.2s.0d And, having so done, rode over to Wooley which is at a few miles distance & began upon the survey of that Farm but were obliged, on account of the weather, to leave off, before we had made any considerable progress, And return, thoroughly wet to Hexham.