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London 25th March 1778
To John Ibbetson Esquire
Sir
Your receive herewith an Estimate of the Expence of Erecting several new sets of Housing in the Derwentwater Estate which Amounts to the Sum of £2339 – Those Setts of Housing are necessary on Account of the laying out of the Grounds in a different manner than they have been hitherto enjoyed by which the several Tenants will have an opportunity of Occupying their Farms to more advantage and the sooner those Works are set about the better as the effect must be that of encouraging Biddings. The Board will therefore be pleased to give directions herein as soon as conveniently may be.
It is with particular satisfaction I can acquaint the Board that Mr Thornton the Hospitals Bailiff for Langley Barony has detected John Todd of Pryor House and John Henderson of Broomhill in cutting an Oak in the Bounder Hedge belonging to White Chapel adjoining to Pryor House Estate. Mr Thornton acquaints me he has the fullest proof, so there does not appear to be the least doubt of a Conviction which I am glad of as Todd & Henderson are old Offenders and were undoubtedly concerned in the Affair of Waltons cutting a Tree upon the Crookhill in Land Ends Farm which the Board will of Course recollect and that the Offenders Walton excepted who was Convicted then escaped for want of Evidence.
Mr Thornton immediately on discovery of the Tree being Cut in White Chapel Bounder Hedge caused an Advertizement to be inserted in the Newcastle Papers offering a Reward of Five Guineas to be paid on Conviction of each Offender to the Person or Persons on whose Evidence the Conviction should be made which I doubt not will meet with the Boards approbation.
The following Persons having applyed for leave to Plow up the Parcels of Ground hereafter mentioned I recommend that their requests be complied with which will I am of Opinion be a proper encouragement to the Tenants and an advantage to both them and Greenwich Hospital Viz
Mr William Brown & Partner -The East Haugh at Throckley 17A:3R:9P
Mr Joseph Dawson - Middle Spring at Keswick
In the continual hurry occasioned by the New Modeling of the Farms and by the Corbridge and Lees Divisions etc I find a mistake has been made in the Advertizement for the General Letting of the Derwentwater Estate by inserting Woodhall Mill and Ground Peelwell and Whitfields Tenement, and Middleton Hall, and as those Estates are not out of Lease upon the 12 May 1779 they should not have been mentioned in the Advertizement so it will be necessary to add a Note at the foot thereof to rectify this mistake
Since Mr Smeaton and I wrote you last concerning the damage by the Smoke of Langley Lead Mill Two Horses have died by the effect of that Poisonous Vapour the Directors will therefore permit me to state the following matters for their Consideration. It is observed that when the Wind continues for some time in the same point of the Compass or nearly so by which the Smoke is driven in such a direction as to affect a particular part of Ground the Cattle become extremely fond of Grazing upon the Ground so circumstanced and unless they are removed in a little time after the most fatal consequences will follow; but if the Tenant is watchfull and has fresh Ground to put his Cattle upon out of the Course in which the Smoke is driven nothing disastrous is to be expected. This has put us all upon thinking of converting the two Farms at Langley Castle into one which would enable the Tenant to remove his Cattle from time to time as occasion required and by this means they might always be kept upon such parts of the Ground as would not injure them and for those reasons I cannot but recommend this being adopted as the most likely means of affording relief.
Thomas Watson one of the Tenants of Allerwash having failed his Farm has come into the Hands of John Watson his Brother who having to the utmost of his power done every thing to support his relation has by that become a principal Creditor – John Watson was before this happened Tenant upon Eastbrokenheugh and now having two Farms he is desirous to Lett one of them for the Year Commencing the 12th May next. Before I left the Country I was made acquainted with the above and as I since am informed by the Bailiff Mr Thornton that it will be a very great inconvenience and loss to John Watson to be obliged to keep both the Farms I beg leave to recommend that he may be permitted to Lett either the one or the other of them provided it is to a person of good Character and Circumstances.
There is a part of the Highwood Farm called the Highside which it is proposed to Lett as a Farm. The present Road from Hexham to this Ground is about 3 Miles and there is a Turnpike Gate to pay at every time the Occupier has occasion to come on Horseback or with a Carriage to Markett. On my View of this Ground and finding it thus Circumstanced, at the same time knowing that some part of the Ground was not more than 1¼ Mile from Hexham I had thoughts of taking a Wayleave thro’ some of the adjoining Grounds so as to shorten the Passage but on examining the Plan of those adjoining Grounds and comparing the same with the Hospitals Plan of the Highwood Estate I observed a Communication might be made thro’ the Hospitals own Land which will effectually answer the end and the distance upon a medium will by that be decreased from 3 Miles to 1½ Mile or there abouts but as it will be necessary to take down about 150 Small Oak Trees I did not think proper to proceed in making the Road till the Boards direction was had.
The Banks of the River Tyne at Fourstones having suffered by Floods and it appearing probable that a Considerable derangement might happen if some thing was not done before the Floods which are usual in the early part of the year it was thought prudent to defend those Banks without delay by throwing a quantity of Quarry Stones at the foot of the Slope next the Water in the places which had been injured. As soon as possible an Estimate shall be sent the Board of the Expence of Compleating this Work and in the mean time directions are given to prepare Materials.
On my setting out for London I received the Letter from Mr Ellison which I now inclose. He has I believe very honestly stated the Matter and is I should think intitled to some indulgence but if he has further time allowed he should give some assurance of performing what is expected after the time which it may be thought proper to give is elapsed.
His Grace the Duke of Northumberland being considerably interested in the Corbridge Division, advanced the whole of the Money in carrying the busyness thro’ Parliament tho’ Greenwich Hospital was much more interested in that Division than his Grace. The Hospital being more Interested than his Grace in the Fourstones Division I beg leave to intimate it to the Directors whether it may not be proper on the present Occasion (the passing Fourstones Division Bill) to pay his Grace a Similar Compliment by advancing the Money which will be wanted on that Account. I am
Sir Yours etc NW Junior
List of Farms for which new Farm Houses will be wanted
and Estimate of the Expence of Erecting the same Vizt [Videlicet]
Numbers
1 Dilston Park South Farm £294
2 Fell Close Farm at Newlands 186
2 Hoods Close East Farm 186
1 Land Ends West Farm 294
1 Esphill Farm 294
1 Mill Hills East Farm 294
1 Allerwash West Farm 294
3 Meldon Park North Farm 203
1 Hartburngrainge South Farm 294
£2339
Estimate for Numbers 1
Length Breadth Height
36 15 17 House Dairey & Back kitchen £120
21 15 9 Two Byers 48
24 15 9 Stable 28
24 15 13 Barn 33
36 13 16 Helm and Granery [sic] 55
A Necessary and Shed 10 £294
Estimate for Numbers 2
22 15 7 House & Dairey Etc. £73
21 15 9 Byer 22
24 15 9 Stable 28
24 15 13 Barn 33
24 13 9 Helm 20
A Necessary and Shed 10 £186
Estimate for Number 3
22 15 7 House & Dairey Etc. £73
21 15 9 Byer 22
24 15 9 Stable 28
24 15 13 Barn 33
36 13 16 Helm and Granery [sic] 55
A Necessary and Shed 10 £203
The whole of the Buildings are to be Built with Stone and Covered with Slate
