Letter – John Watson to Thomas Corbett – 18 Jul 1735

An Abstract of Mr Watsons Memoriall to Thomas Corbett Esqr 18 July 1735 relating to the Lead Mines



That proprietors either work them or grant Tack Notes and Leases to adventurers who pay no Certain rent but 1/5 1/6 or 1/7 Dish or bing of all well washed Oare but the latter Method was generally practised by the Derwentwater family; on 1/5 for dues pd to their Moor Master whose business it is to receive the same and to See that the Mines be duely wrought according to Covenant and If they Omited working with four Men a day for Twenty Days in a year (Sundays Holydays and Violent Storms Excepted) their Lease to be forfitted and to pay 20s per Month for Such Discontinuance.

	The Lords dues have formerly been from 1 to £4000 per Annum But there having been no power Since the Death of Earl James but Diterminable on the death of late Mr Radcliffe Most of the leases are Invalid or Expired: and the Mines Most of them Neglected but as there is now a Certainty Doubts Not but they will turn to good Acct.

	That he has left an Old Original lease wth Mr Radley To Shew the Covenants Limits  & Discription of a lead mine or Grove and proposes the following Clause to be Inserted

That Instead of Four Men the Leesses to be Obliged to persue Working wth 8 Pick men and to be Obliged Every Month to give the Moor Master an acct, in writing of the Name of Every Miner Imploy’d for that Month, & in wt Mine and wt whole days they wrought Also a forfiture of the Lease & £9 for Every week they Shall Hush any Mine wth out Lisence first Held in writing from the Commissioners.  The reason whereof is that tho. it is an Easy way to get Oar, it does damage to All Mines and Veins wth respect to hereafter Adventurers Unless all the Under and upper Sills thereof are Intire wrt.outs

	(Q’.  How Comes the receivers not Only to Allow Hushing by Others but also they & the Court keepers to Shew Such an Example; by doing it themselves)  But it als does great damage In the Neighbouring Lessers in the Estate, that If the Commors Are Inclinable are Inclinable to work any of the mines Them Selves they will Endeaviour to pitch upon those that are likely and See them well wrought; but the Success is very hazardous & the expence not to be Ascertained.

	But If are Inclined to let new leases the Sooner it is done the Better as they are now lying dead And proposes to Advertise in the Gazitte, & NewCastle Courant and not more than 6 Groves at a time _ That there are Sevel people in the North willing to adventure but the Sevel Compisse of Mine Adventures appear to be the most proper partys to be Concerned in Such Undertakings.

	That he thinks asking more than 1/5 dues would be a discouragement and Therefore proposes that when Severall are bidding for the same Grove to See who will <po..> to lay out most money is winning, as from 3 to 4700 as he has heard one of the Companys agints say they would and on no performance to forfit theirleases  <...> 1/3 part of the whole Sum Covinanted to be Laid out

	Also to be obliged to give a monthly Acct to the moor master of the Sum Expended in Each month, the Names of the workmen Employ’d & Wt perticular days to Whom pd & for what; and their Daily wages

	That a list of the groves, & mines in Aldston Moore is annext wch have been let but the Lease expired or Invalid Except Brown Gill Thorter Gill & upper Dodberry Dike Head wch Some Gentlemen Claim Under a Concurant Lease Granted by the late earl to continue from the expiration of a former lease wch They Say are in the Hands of Jno Rogers Esqr of Newcastle and one Other Called Blagill wch is wrote by the Company for melting Lead wth Coale; Whose lease is near Expiring.

	That the reason why he proposes only pt of the groves to be adved At a time as that they may not overstock the Market & the apprehension thereof Discourage adventurers

	As the names of the mines are in the List to Illustrate them More Clearly <pro> minds surveying and mapping the mannor & thereon Delineating all the Mines and Veins wch their names also shew the Seaveral bounderys of the freehold in the <G> mannor who perform Suit & Service to the Mannor Court; but have hetherto Claimed of Royaltys within the sd Freeholds; and also carefully to Shew the Generall Bounderys of the sd Mannor wch Joyns on the Bounderys of other Lords; & wth whom before the death of the late Mr Radcliff, there has been disputes in Law concerning the limits thereof and Since whose death new Incroachmt have been attempted to have been made

	In Order therefore that the Same may be clearly distinguished not only by Shewing the Bounderys as Claim’d to belong to the Mannor of Aldston, but also to Sett forth the Bounderys claimed by the adjacent Lords For which end proper persons well acquainted with the Boundery Role, & the name of places therein Should be appointed to Shew the Same which will in a great measure Assertain the property & Limits of the sd Mannor and prevent disputes hereafter.

	Sends the Forme of a Tack Note which when ever any Person has a mind to make a Tryall either in an old neglected Grove, or where he had made any discovery of the appearance of a Vein He applys to the Land Steward for one (which is an Article for a 21 Years Lease) to make Tryall & if does not demand the Lease within the Year the sd Note is Void  The Miners & others in that Country are very fond of them to make Tryalls wch Tend to improve the Revenue of the Estate.





A Coppy of the late Receiver Mr Watsons List of the Lead Mines in Alston moor.  Viz.



Long Pott				Middle Vein of Nentsbery

Cross Vein in Nentsberry Greens	Peat Slack hill

Shawhead				Thorn gill

Smirgill Hill				Brown gill

Slaley Mea				Hindley Mea

Forefield Thorngill			Guttergill

Blagill Burn				Wallop.knot

Lough Vein				Brown Gill head

Goan Gill				Old Blagill

Middle Cand				Shaw

Cash Burn				Middle Cleugh

Nentsberry Greens			Forefield of Galligill Syke

Hill Close				Broom Berry

Gudamhill Mea			Benty Field

Hundy Cridge Syke			Green Gill

East Side Crosgill Head		Upper Dodberry dike head

Thortergill				Hulgill Near Liverick Mea

Carrs					Dowpott Syke head

Green Castle Moss			The Moss on the East Side of Dowpott Syke head

Smal Burn Mea head				

Garrigill Burn				Browngill foot over against Taylor Syke

South Vein Brown Gill foot			

West End of Dodberry Dike head	Little Dryburn

North Vein to Do of Thortergill	Wellgill Mea

					Blike Bank

Trystis Rake				Lee house Sheel

Seale Curn Moss			Greengill Crag Near Green Banks in Cross Gill

North Part of Cow Slits		

Upper Dodberry South Vein		Black Burn Bank

Taylos Syke side			Dryburn Linn

Banks under high Sheel In Crossgill	Craggy End

					South Side of Cow Slits

					Haggs

					Redgrove

					Rederup Cleugh

					Long Poole Head

					Park dyke nook

					Weatherall Mea

					Natteras

					Brighill Burn

					Redgrovess of Natteras





		Form of a Tack Note

Wheareas A.B. in the Parish of -- & County of -- in the behalf of do give Liberty Power & Authority to C.D. in the Parish of Aldstone and County of Cumberland Yeoman to break Earth, dig and Sink for Lead Oar or other Oar at a place Called and known by the Name of -- in Aldstone Moor Lying and being within the liberty of -- And the Said C.D. paying to the Said A.B. for the Use of -- of all Such Oar as Shall be there got  One full fifth part well wash’d dress’d & prepared after the best Manner  And made fit for Smelting, keeping the Same Safe from all Imbezelement And Demunation until the Said C.D. his heirs or Asignes receive from the Sd A.B. His heirs or Assign’s an Order in writing for Delivery of the Same And I the Said A.B. do hereby Oblige my self to grant upon Demand a Lease of the Same for the Term of -- Years unto the Sd C.D. his heirs or asignes the Sd Lease to be according to the Usual form of Leases formerly granted by -- But If the Sd place before mentioned shall happen to be within the Compass of any former Grant or Lease still in force or If the Sd C.D. his heirs or asignes Shall not pay & not keep safe one full fifth part of all the Oar there gotten as aforesaid for the Use of the Sd -- aforesaid or Shall not within the Space of Twelve Months from the Date hereof Come and Demand a Lease of the Same Taking at the Same time of the Demand a Memorandum in writing Signed by the Said A.B. or If the Said C.D. his heirs or asignes Shall not Come & receive The Said Lease within the Space of one Month after Notice Given that the Same is ready or Shall not then Surrender this Tack note to be Cancelled Then and in all such Cases this Tack note to be Utterly Void & of none Effect Given Under my hand this -- Day of -- in the Year of Our Lord God One Thousand Seven Hundred and thirty.