Journal entry – John Grey – 29 Nov 1833

Friday 29th November



Rode to Hexham and paid the money I had received since the Rent Day to the Bank Agent, then proceeded to Westwood & Coastley to make a valuation of those farms in case of my being authorised by the Board to treat by private bargain with the present tenants. 

With Mr Snowball of Westwood there can be no doubt of the propriety of negotiating if his Father who is possessed of good property will join him in the Lease and with regard to Coulson of Coastley although he has fallen into considerable arrears , I entertain a good opinion of him as an industrious man and good farmer.  He had not certainly displayed much judgement in taking his farm, which I am satisfied, though the day became so stormy that I could not examine it so minutely as I wished, has been too high rented by £200 a year ever since he entered to it, the price of Grain having been declining each years since that time.   From want of water till now he has able to thrash very little Corn, having had his seed Wheat to buy at a considerably higher price than he can now obtain for his own, so that he has his Crop in hand, which in some measure accounts for his short payment last rent day.  The farm is fully stocked too & his horses are powerful which is requisite at Coastley, the land being steep & hard to work. He knows the quality of the land and it’s management, & but for the arrears accumulated by the causes I have stated, which it may be difficult for him to overcome, if exacted to the full amount, I don’t know that the Commissioners would be likely to find a better tenant.  He fully concurs in my plan in cultivating more of Grass & less of Corn in future.  Returned home in a tempest of wind and rain,& was engaged with Mr Benson in the evening, comparing the prices of different kinds of work connected with building which he had obtained in various quarters & giving him directions for measuring off several buildings, painting etc which have been completed upon the Estates.  Most of them had been begun by estimate previous to my coming here.