Witness Depositions – William Green – 2 Apr 1690

William Greene of Hedley in the County of Northumberland yeom aged Seaventy Fower or theraboutes Sworne and Examined. 

2 & 4	To the Second and Fowerth Interr[ogator]yes this Depont saith that ever since he this Depont hath beene able or Capable to goe with a draught or Carriage, ehich hathe beene this sixty yeares or thereaboutes he this Depont and all other his Maties [Majesties] Subjects both within the counties of Northumberland and Durham and Elsewhere as they had occasion had used and Enjoyed a Com[m]on high way for Carts & Carraiges of Lead wood and suchlike Com[m]odities as occasion required from Hedley or anywhere Else in the Counties of Northumberland and Durham unto and through the Land and Grounds of Stella called the Bogg als the Blackmires and soe from thence to the Peth head Downe the Peth to the two Lead hills, the one lying in Stella Grounds and the other lying in Blaydon Grounds and there landed their Carriage on either of the said Lead hills, from whence it was carryed by water either to newcasle or elsewhere in the River of Tine, and this Depont and the whole Countrey that had occasion used and Enjoyed the said Com[m]on high way as aforesaid both in the time of the said Sr Thomas Tempest Decd [Deseased] Grandfather of the said Deft Sr Thomas Tempest, and alsoe in the time of Sr Richard Tempest the Defts Father, and in the time of the said Deft himself, and they and every of them have often seen the Depont and the rest of the Country use the said Com[m]on high way with Carts waines and Carriages as aforesaid, yett did not they or any of them stopp or hinder this Depont or any other in the use or Enjoyment of the said Com[m]on high way that this Depont knowes or ever heard off, though they and every of them did soe see them makeing use of the said Com[m]on high way as aforesaid; nor did they or any of them Dureing all the time aforesaid Demand and Satisfaction for the useing of the said Com[m]on high way neither from this Depont or any other that he knowes or ever heard off aske leave or pay any Satisfaction whetsoever to the Deft or any other under whom he Clames for useing of the said Com[m]on high way Saveing what was paid by the Owners of the Lead or wood who imployed this Depont and the rest of the Carriages for Bankroome for the laying and placeing their comodities upom the lead hills aforesaid, but nothing was ever paid for the said way leave that this Depont knowes or ever heard off; and this Depont saith that the said anncient Com[m]on high way Downe the Peth as aforesaid haveing for these Two or three yeares last pat become impassable for Carriages for want of rydding and repaireing; the said Deft Sr Thomas Tempest hath permitted the Carriages to Come and pass through a parcell of his Ground there unto adjoyneing called the East Feild, but hath heard and beleives that he caused most of the Carriages to pay for such their passage through the East feild.