Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Radley – 13 Mar 1741

      Ravensworth Castle. March 13. 1740

To Mr Radley



Sir

      We Reced. yours Relating the Severall biddings for the Derwentwater woods in which we are Sorry  to Observe no more than £4000 has been offer’d for the Woods in Northumberland & 4100 for those in Cumberland. if they are Confirmed at those Rates they are at Least  £2000 too Cheap Sold , for they ought to give at or about what they were Valued to, & were it a proper Undertaking for us to be Concerned in we woud never Suffer them to be Sold much under the Valuation. If the purchasers of the Northumberland Woods pay the Worth of them the payment of the money in Seven Years is not much amiss, alltho’ we think it ought to be done in less time & may be all Cutt & Removed in about 10 Years. The time of payment for Keswick  & for the Cutting & Removing thereof seems pretty reasonable, only it may be proper that the last payment should be made at the End of the Sixth Year, in Order to make the Seventh Year Cutting a Security for the payment of the Money. This is a General rule here that the payments are to be made before the Wood is removed, but whether in this Case you may think it Necessary as Mr Speddings are men of Undoubted Substance. The purchasers are to have Liberty to make Sawpitts in the Woods, but not in any other Adjacent Grounds & from time to time to Cutt Turf for burning Charcoale, but  not to Cutt Turf for Drying bark. As to Linnburn in Langley Barrony it was not Numbered being only fitt for Charcoale & of Consequence was not in the Informacions or  Affadavitts, so if you will Judge how farr it may be proper to Joyn it in the Sale.   We are 

      Sir Yrs &c

      Nich. Walton  Hugh Boag