Witness Depositions – Edward Lumley – 2 Apr 1690

Edward Lumley of Prudhoe in the county of Northumberland yeom aged Sixty one yeares or thereaboutes Sworne and Examined. 

2 4 & 5	To the Second Fowerth and Fifth Interr[ogator]ys this Depont saith that he this Depont and the whole inhabitants within the neighboureing parts ot the Countys of Northumberland & Durham as occasion requires for these Forty Five yeares past or thereaboutes to the knowledge of this Depont hath held used and Enjoyed Com[m]on high way for Leading & carrying of great Timber, Slates Lead Flags & such  like Comodities with waines Carts and Carriages from Hedley and many other places both in Northumberland and in Durham as occasion reqired, in att the Mooregate or Stellagate, and Soe by the Bogg or Blackmire to the Peth head and soe Downe the Peth to the Two Leadhils called Stella and Blaydon Leadhills and att Severall other tmes as occasion required in along & through the said Com[m]on high way aforesaid and Downe the Peth and soe over Blaydon Bourne Downe Eastwards To Blaydon Towne, and from thence to Swallwell east of Blaydon, and from thence to Whickham; and this Depont saith that neither he this Depont [word obscured] <other> he knowes or ever heard off was ever att any time dureing the time aforesaid Stopt aforesaid in the Stopping useing or Enjoying of the said Com[m]on high way in or through any the parts or places <aforesaid ...> was ever any Satisfacc[i]on Demanded or paid, or leave sought or asked for the useage therof by this Depont or any other useing the same that this Depont knowes or ever heard off But this Depont saith that when & so often as they layed and landed their Goodsin & upon the said Leadhill on the west syde called Stella hill for carying by water to Newcastle, then was Two <pence per> foother and fower pence a Tunn paid to the Farmer of the said Leadhill, which was called Banck money or groundage, and when they landed Goods upon the East syde called Bladon Leadhills never paid any thing att all, and never was any thing paid for useing the said Com[m]on high way; and this Depont saith that when Goods was brought in carriages along the said Com[m]on high way to Blaydon or Swallwell or Whickham, and did not land the same goods att the said Leadhills, then there was not any Satisfacc[i]on paid or as much as Demanded for the use of the said Com[m]on high way, that this Depont knowes or ever heard of; though this Depont with many others soe used and passed the same way with their Carriages as aforesaid; and this Depont saith that both he this depont and others have used the said com[m]on high way with waines and Carriages for leading and carrying of Iron Dailes wain Scott Dailes and such other com[m]odities to Hexham and other places in the Country which came and were brought upp by water from Newcastle and Landed att the said Lead hills.