Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Ibbetson – 13 Jan 1778

      Farnacres 13th January 1778

To Jno Ibbetson Esquire



Sir

      His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, having taken Notice to Mr Turner that the only thing which delays the prosecuting, the Dividing and Inclosing, of Throckley Fell at present is a dispute between his Grace and the Hospital, who is Lord of the Manor, to obviate this his Grace had signified an intention of proposing to the Hospital either to leave the right to the Manor exactly in the same situation that it is in at present That is that neither the Hospital nor himself should be stiled Lord of the Manor in the Inclosure Bill nor should any share whatever be set out to either of them on Account of the Manor but that the Fell should be divided between them and the rest of the Proprietors in proportion to their respective private properties, Or that One Sixteenth should be set out for the Lord of the Manor and a Clause

be inserted in the Bill directing the disputed Claim of the Manor to be tryed and determined either by Referees to be chosen by the Duke and the Hospital or by Action at Law within 12 Months from the time of passing the Bill

      Upon the above I beg leave to observe that I apprehend it would not be adviseable for the Commissioners & Governors of Greenwich Hospital to agree to those Propositions for in the first place their consenting to divide in proportion to the private properties without setting out a share for the Commissioners & Governors of Greenwich Hospital or the Duke as Lord and that neither should be Stiled Lord of the Manor would in effect be giving up the right of the Manor and with respect to the Commissioners and Governors agreeing that a Sixteenth should be set apart for them or his Grace as the right should appear to be on Litigation or Reference this would be admitting upon the face of it that the Commissioners & Governors were in some doubts about their right as Lords whereas there does no appear to me a doubt about it. 

      Upon the whole therefore I cannot help recommending that this busyness may rest ‘til Mr Turner & I can have an opportunity of jointly conferring upon the matter and that all thoughts of carrying it before Parliament this Session may be dropped.

      You receive herewith a Draft of a Petition for leave to bring in a Bill for the Division of Fourstones Common and Exchanging certain Estates of the Hospital in the Parishes of Alnwick Embleton & Warkworth for Lands of his Grace the Duke of Northumberland in the Common Fields at Corbridge and no time is to be lost in getting the needfull done so as the Petition may be presented before the 3d of next Month.  Mr Charleton the Duke of Northumberlands Agent in the Country has expressed his desire that these may be an option in the Commissioners appointed to settle the Exchange to give the Equivalent to the Hospital at Corbridge either from the Common Fields or from the Common or Waste but this I cannot advise and have Wrote him that it cannot by any means be taken from from any other part of the Corbridge Estate than the Common Field Land.  I am

      Sir Yours etc NW Junior



PS The Draft of the Bill for the Division and Exchange is now before Mr Fawcett and a Clause or Clauses will be introduced relative to the Letting of Mines & Lands connected therewith