Witness Depositions – William Surtees – 2 Apr 1690

William Suretis of Whittonstall in the County of Northumberland yeom aged seaventy Fower yeares or thereabouts Sworne and Examined

1	To the First Interry he saithe he knowes Sr William Blacket in the pleadings named and did know Sr Wm Blacket dect Father of the said Sr William Blackett, and he alsoe knows Sr Thomas Tempest Bart the Deft,

2 3 & 4	To the second & Third and Fourth Interrys thes Depont saith he very well knows that there hath beene for these Forty Five last past or thereabouts a high way or Free passage att all times in the yeare for all the King & QueenSubjects to goe or travell with horses Carts waines and other carriages from Blackhall Mill, Hedley Downe in the County of Northumberland, Hexhamshire, Mugglesworth als Muggleswirk and other places both inthe Counties of Northumberland and Durham, unto the Hamett of Blaydon and Blaydon Leadhills in the Countie of Durham and saith the said high way or passage lyes and comes through the several parcells ofGround in Stella called the Bogg als Blackmires and soe to the Pethhad and from thence Downe the Peth and soe to Blaydon & Stella Leadhills where all persons that had occasion that way landed or laid their Lead to be Carryed from thence by wherrys or Boates to Newcastle ond other placesin the River of Tine, and his Depont saith that <ab>out Eight yeares since the said Sr Thomas Tempest or some by his ordersCutting the Trees then standing in the Peth, itt obstructed and hinderd the goeing and passage of the said Carriages Downe the said Peth, and for that reason the Carriages could not goe the said way;upon which the said Sr Thomas Tempest gave liberty to the to pass and got througha parcell of Ground called the East Field adjoyneing or lying neare the Peth, till such times as the Peth was rydded andand made fitt for Carriages, and when this  said Peth was rydded the Carriages came their antient [ancient] way and passage along and by the Peth to the said Leadhills  and Blaydon; and saith he did see the Lands on either syde theHigh way att Stella inclosed; Butt hath heard and verily believes they were  inclosed by the owners and Farmers of Stella, and this Depont saith that for these Forty Five yeares past he this Depont never knew nor heard  of anyStopp of any waines or Carriages in and through the said high way or pasage, nor never knew any person or persons whatsoever ask leave to goe Downe the said Bogg or Blackmires, and Peth to the Leadhills aforesaid; eitherOf the said Sr Thomas Tempest or any other that this Depont knows or ever heard of; nor did this Depont nor any other that he knowes or heard of paid any sume or sumes of money to the said Sr Thomas Tempest or any o [2-3 words obscured] <satisf>action for the said high way for such Carriages as aforesaid in the Grounds aforesaid, save only Fower pence p[er] Fother for laying and placeing of wood in or upon the said Lead hills in or neare Blaydon, and <unclear> satisfaction for way leave, butt for Bankeage only for laying wood and other comodities upon; Butt what<ever> was or is paid for laying and placing of Lead upon thes aid Lead hills this Depont knowes nott.