Witness Depositions – Thomas Newton – 2 Apr 1690

Thomas Newton of Prudhoe in the County of Northumberland yeom aged sixty six Yeares or theraboutes Sworne & Examined Desposeth as follweth. 

2 4 & 5	To the Second Fowerth and Fifth Interr[ogator]ys this Depont saith that he this Depont and the whole neighbouring inhabitants both in the Countys of Northumberland & Durham for these Fifty yeares last past and upwards to the knowledge of this Depont untill of Late have had used & Enjoyed a Com[m]on high way for leading and Carrying of wood Lead Slates Flaggs and such like Comodities with waines Carts & Carriages from Hedley & other places both in Northumberland & Durham where they had & tooke upp their Carriages in by along & through the Mooregate to the Bogg or Blackmires and from thence to the Peth head Downe the Peth to the Two Leadhills att Bladon & Stella, and alsoe in along & through the said Com[m]on high way over Blaydon Burne Swallwell & whickham and also knowes that dureing the time aforesaid the said com[m]on high way hath been used & imployed for leading & Carrying of Dales Iron & such like Com[m]odities brought & Landed by water att Blaydon Stella & the Leadhills aforesaid in along & through the Com[m]on high way aforesaid to Hexham & other Places where they carryed & landed their Goods in the respective Countys aforesaid; and this Depont saith that though this Depont and the rest of the Countrey persons who drove & came along with their Carriages Did frequently and usually call and Drink att the Dwelling house of William Raine and Robert Addy the respective Stewards of the Deft and his ancestors att Stella aforesaid both in their goeing and comeing with their Load on Carriages to & from Blaydon & Stella and the Leadhills aforesaid, and though they the said Raine & Addy Did very well know of the Country's useing the Com[m]on high way with loaden Carriages as aforesaid; yett Did not they or either of them or any other that he knowes or ever heard off Stopp or hinder this Dept or any other useing the said Com[m]on high way with Carriages as aforesaid, nor was any thing paid or as much as Demanded for the useage thereof, from this Depont or any other that this Depont knowes or ever heard off; But this Depont sath that when they laid & landed their Goods in & upon either of the leadhills aforesaid then was Two pence a Foother Fower pence a Tunn paid for liberty to lay & land their Goods in & upon the said Leadhills in order to convey the same either by water to Newcastle or by land into the Countrey, as the Goods were appointed to goe, but when the Carriaged Did not touch & land their Goods att either of the said Leadhills, but went Directly from the Peth over Bladon Burne, Eastward to Bladon Towne, and soe to Swallwell or whickham then was not any Satisfaction paid or Demanded for the useage of the said Com[m]on high way; or any Stopp made for the use thereof  either to this Depont or any other useing the same that this Deponent knowes or ever heard of; though they used the same aswell as when they went to the said Leadhills. 

3 & 5	To the Third and Fifth Interr[ogator]ys this Depont saith that when any Stopp happened that Carraiges would not pass Downe the Peth by Fall of Trees bankes or otherwise, then the Carriages <went> on either side of the Peth, without interruption that he knowes or ever heard of untill repaired & made passable, and this Depont hath seen men workeing and repaireing the<.. Peth>  makeing itt passable, but att whose charges this Depont knowes not.