Witness Depositions – Hugh Coatsworth – 2 Apr 1690

Hugh Coatesworth of Allendale in the County of Northumberland Gent aged Sixty Five yeares or thereaboutes Sworne and Examined Deposeth as followeth.

2 & 4	To the Second and Fowerth Interr[ogator]ys this Depont saith that for these Forty Nine yeares or thereaboutes there hath to the knowledge of this Depont beene a Com[m]on high way for all their Ma[jes]ties Subjects for leading Carrying and Conveying Lead & Timber and such like Comodities with Horses waines and Carts & Carriages from Hedley and other places both in Northumberland and Durham as occasion required in and through the Lands & Grounds of Stella called Stella gate the Bogg al[ia]s the Blackmires, and soe to the Peth head and Downe the Peth to the Two Leadhills, where they laid and Landed their Goods <for> Conveying by water to Newscastle; and this Depont saith that he hath knowne Goods and Comodities Frequently Dureing the time aforesaid brought by water from Newcastle both to Stella and to Blaydon Leadhills, and there laid and Landed upon the said Leadhills, and from thence carryed and Conveyed by & through the Com[m]on high way above mentioned into the County of Nothumberland Durham Alestone Moore in  Cumberland Carlise Cockermouth Peareth [Penrith?] Workington Whitehaven and alsoe into Ireland and Elsewhere; where the Goods were Designed with Horses Carts & Carriages, <....> this Depont did never hear of any Stopp made or any Satisfaction Demanded or paid for the useing of the said Com[m]on high way by or to any person or persons whatsoever; but saith that ther was paid for a wharfeage, for the Landing laying and placeing of Goods in & upon the said Leadhills Some Small Sume of money but [word obscured] any thing paid for makeing use of the said Com[m]on high way either to the Deft or any other under whom he Clames that this Depont [word obscured] to all the perticulars aforesaid for that he hath been a Trader to and from Newcastle, and hath made use of of the Com[m]on high way ab [rest of word obscured] <and Conveying> <Goods> with Horses waines and Carraiges as aforesaid, and was never interrupted in the usueing of the said high way nor never paid any thing [word obscured]