Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Ibbetson – 9 Jan 1778

      Farnacres 9th January 1778

To John Ibbetson Esquire



Sir

      You will receive herewith a form of an Advertisement [given below] for the General Letting of the Derwentwater Estate and by the Newcastle Coach a Book containing Particulars for the several

Farms as now laid out for new Letting; but as Spindleston Glororum and Outchester Farms have been altered and much Improved by new Fences since the last General Letting, It will I find be necessary to have a Survey made thereof & as as [sic] soon after this Survey is compleated as possible I will send you the Particulars of those Farms to be made use of instead of what is contained in the Book sent by the Coach.

      You will observe that the Quantitys of Wood Land do not altogether correspond with the Account sent the Board a few alterations having been made and in particular you will Note that what was proposed to be taken off the Pasture at Woodhall being 39A:1R:34P is not now proposed to be fenced off, it being thought proper to let that alone ‘till the Division of  Ellrington can be got forward, when it may be done more effectually & conveniently.

      The new Modelling or laying out of the Farms and marking off the Wood Lands will I am confident be attended with considerable advantage and I beg leave to assure the Board that I have spared no pains in doing the whole in such manner as appeared to me most likely to answer the End to Greenwich Hospital, I however expect that it will be found proper to make some further alterations but which, will not materially affect any of the Farms as now laid out.

      I remember the disappointed Bidders or Persons whose proposals were not accepted at the last General Letting, made great Complaints on Account of of the time of Letting being carryed so farr forward as to within Six Months of the day of Entry by which they were prevented having an opportunity of getting themselves otherwise supplyed with Farms for the Succeeding Year and therefore I beg leave to advise that the Advertizement now sent be  inserted as soon as convenience can Admit of it and that the time of Letting maybe as soon after Lammas (the 1st August) as possible which I am of opinion will very probably have a good Effect upon the Biddings, by inducing the Bidders not to look out elsewhere till the Fate of their Proposals for the Hospitals Farms is known. 

      It will undoubtedly be of advantage, only to have particular parts of the Derwentwater Estate to Lett at a time, in future and not the whole, on which Account as well as suiting the Circumstances attending Several of the Estates, a Note is added to the Advertizement shewing

for what Term it appears proper to lett the respective Estates as follows. 

      

      Dilston, Corbridge and Thornbrough for Six Years in which time it is expected the Several Arrangements will be made that shall be found necessary on Account of the Corbridge Division.

      Newtonhall and Whittle for Twenty One Years or under

      Newlands and Whittonstall, Hexhamshire Wooley Coastley and Westwood Farms for Nine Years which will give an opportunity of making New Fences and otherwise improving those Estates.

      Ellrington Manor and Buteland Estate for Six Years in which time it is hoped a Division of the Open Common Fields of the former and the Stinted Pasture of the latter may be brought about.

      Harsondale, Sillywray, Plankey Pasture, Vance and Loaningfoot, Tedcastle, the Lough, Middle & East Deanraw, & the Lees Farms & Land Ends West Farm, part of Langley Barony for Six Years on Account of being connected with the Division of Lees Common.

      The Low Close and Strother Close, Peelwell & Whitfields Tenement and Water Wells Close part of Lipwoodwell Farm also part of Langley Barony, for three Years to correspond with the Term of Rattenraw with which those Lands lie intermixed.

      Fourstones Farms also in Langley Barony for Six Years on Account of the Division of Fourstones Common.

      The other Farms in the Barony of Langley for Twelve Years which will give time for fencing and other necessary improvements as also for the getting forward the Division of Grindon Common which is a most desirable object.

      Whitlees and Leehouses, Hartburngrainge Needlesshall and Meldon for Nine Years which will give time for fencing, and other necessary Improvements. 

      And the remaining Farms etc For Twenty One Years or under.

      

      It is proposed to reserve the Wood Lands agreeable to what has been some time ago recommended to the Board, as also the Lands for Langley Lead Mill, and that nothing shall be allowed on account of Damage by the said Lead Mill after the 12th May 1779; and as it is in some instances found inconvenient to have Tenants who do not reside on their Farms, and as that, and the Granting of more Farms than one, to the same Person, presents Improvement, a Note is added, taking in the whole of the above, all which will I hope meet with the Boards Approbation and I am for Mr Turner & Self

      Sir Yours etc

      NW Junior



PS Mr Thornton having been with me the other day desires the Board will be pleased to reserve him the little Hill Closes or Greens Closes at Haydon Bridge, at £3 Per Annum which as they lie very convenient for him I beg leave to recommend being agreed to, he to be Tenant at Will.  The above Rent will be upwards of Forty Shillings Per Acre the whole of the Ground being no more than 1A:1R:35P.     





      Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich	January 1778



The Commissioners and Governors of the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich in the County of Kent hereby give Notice, that at Salters Hall in London on Wednesday the 5th Day of

August next, or as soon after as may be, will be Lett on Leases, to commence upon the 12th Day of May 1779 all those several Farms of Land, Tythes, Collieries Corn Mills, Lime Kilns, and other Estates within the Several Baronys, Manors, Lordships, Townships Hamlets, or Villages, hereafter mentioned (that is to say) Dilston, Thornbrough, Corbridge, Newton hall, Whittle, Newlands, Whittonstall, Wooley Hexhamshire, Heckford, Longhope, Coastley, Highwood,  Westwood, Barony of Langley, Barony of Wark, Buteland, Whitlees & Lee-houses, Kirkwhelpington, Hartburn, Hartburn Grainge, Needless Hall, Meldon, Midford, Larbottle,  Middleton Hall, Spindlestons and Glororum, Outchester and Chester Hill, in the County of Northumberland; Scremerston and Tweedmouth in the County Palatine of Durham; and Alston Moor and Castlerigg and Darwentwater; in the County of Cumberland, or elsewhere being parts of the Derwentwater Estate held by Leases, or other Agreements, which expire the 12th May 1779, And all persons who are willing to take any of the said Farms of Land, Tythes, Collieries, Corn Mills, Lime Kilns, or other Estates, are desired to give in their Proposals in Writing to John Ibbetson Esquire at the Admiralty Office London.  And for Particulars of all, or any of the said Estates, to be let as aforesaid, apply to Messrs. Walton & Turner, Receivers

for the said Hospital, or to the Bailiffs in their respective Districts.



NOTE Dilston, Thornbrough, & Corbridge Farms will be let on Lease for Six Years; Newlands and Whittonstall, Wooley, Hexhamshire, Heckford, Longhope Coastley, Highwood, and Westwood Farms for Nine Years; Harsondale, Sillywray, Plankey Pasture, Vance and Loaning Foot, The  Lough, Middle Deanraw, East Deanraw, The Lees, Tedcastle, Land Ends West Farm, and Fourstones Farms part of the Barony of Langley for Six Years; Low Close and Strother Close, Peelwell and Whitfields Tenements and Water Wells Close part of Lipwoodwell Farm, also part  of Langley Barony for three Years; the other Farms in the Barony of Langley for Twelve Years; Ellrington and Woodhall Farms and Woodhall Mills and Ground in the Barony of Wark for Six

Years; Buteland for Six Years; Whitlees and Leehouses, Hartburn Grainge, Needlesshall and Meldon for Nine Years; and the remaining Farms etc will be lett on Lease for Twenty One Years or under.



NOTE also – The said Commissioners and Governors except and reserve all Wood Grounds as now Inclosed or marked off for the Growing of Wood & Underwood & also all the Grounds now fenced off on Account or for the use of Langley Lead Mill and no allowance will be made for damage by the said Mill.  It is expected that the Several Tenants shall reside on their respective Farms unless permitted to do otherwise by the said Commissioners & Governors and no more than One Farm as now laid out will be Let to the same Tenant.