Journal entry – John Grey – 2 Jul 1834

Wednesday 2nd July



      Rode first to Whitechapel, three miles, Westward from Haydon Bridge, where the new farm House is roofed & will be soon fit to occupy.  This is a substantial Job, of which all the work is well done, & does Howden credit.  He is now going on with the Stables. Then to Lipwood & West Millhills, both occupied by good Tenants, & for this Country, well cultivated - but both, I regret to say, proposing to apply to be released, on account of the high Rents & low prices of Grain.  Went to Haydon Town Farm, looked at draining & contrived how Water might be conveyed to the Farm buildings & some pasture Fields, which in this dry season are ill off for want of it.  Examined also the Ground upon which by Mr Hoopers permission, the away going Tenant sowed last year 12 Acres of Corn to which he was not intitled.  [marginal pencil annotation: ‘I doubt Mr Hooper giving authority.’]  The Land is bad, & after allowing for Seed & harvest labor, the Crop would probably not be worth more than £18. [marginal pencil annotation: ‘Is there any notice of this in Mr Hoopers Journal?’]  But when he ploughed 12 Acres, he left 6 of the worst of the Field in Grass, which could not be mown, the Grass being so bad, & which Mr Howden could not have the use of in pasture until after harvest, being intersected by the Corn.  On this Account, I think he is entitled to £2 more making together £20 with which he will be fully satisfied.  

      Came to Westbrokenheugh, where I had altered the Roads leading to the Offices, substituting one for two, & thereby saving Land and turning two very small Fields in to one of convenient size, examined the new fences etc. Proceeded through the Farms of Allerwash, Fourstones and Westwood, looking into their condition & anything requiring attention, & reached home in the evening, pretty much done off by two days of constant riding in a burning sun. I am glad to find that the Railway Directors have adopted my suggestion & altered their line through Fourstones so that instead of cutting through some of our best Fields, it will run up the line of fence by the River, occupying Land of very little value, being chiefly River gravel, & will also form an embankment against floods.  I remonstrated against their taking the other line, stating my opinion that this was quite practicable & would be little more expensive than the other, and urged upon them that the liberality of the Hospital in giving up the Land, gave them no right to occupy good Land if that of an inferior kind would serve their purpose. They have made a second Survey of it, & adopted my recommendation. 

      The Crops of Hay are generally rather light, but got in excellent condition & at little expense.   And then of Corn, not promising to be very abundant, but they are better everywhere than at Dilston, where we have less rain & where the once productive Land is in a state of complete exhaustion & bad cultivation.