Report – James Stuart – 13 Aug 1774

Saturday 13 Aug[us]t



We set off this morning to complete (having viewed a part of it on the 11th) our Survey of

      Allerwash which contains 400A.1R.24P & is under Lease to William & Thomas Watson for 21 Y[ea]rs expiring in 1779 at 250£ /pAnn[um] being about 12s/6d pAcre. It consists chiefly of arable with some pasture meadow & wood. The Tenants are exceeding bad Farmers; their fallow shamefully foul & full of weeds, and their Land mostly laid down without seeds. The Cleugh Head, Low Haugh (2) and Whorters want draining. The Gooseholme near the River is well situated for growing Timber & should therefore be planted with acorns. Capons Cleugh, part of which is adjoining to this farm we have already spoken of under East brokenheugh. That wood, as well as the youngwood growing in Pea Lands, should be well fenced & secured from Cattle who do great damage, particularly to the latter which would, if preserved thrive very well there being a great quantity of fine young Oaks growing quite down to the Rivers Side.

      We have seen a great deal of bad Husbandry on the Estate, but nothing hitherto to be compared with what we met here; for which we think the Tenants should, whenever there is a proper opportunity, be shewn some mark of the Board's displeasure.

      There is a great deal of housing on this Farm having been formerly lett to 4 or 5 different Tenants & ought to be so again when the present Lease expires, being at present too large for one occupancy. The Buildings, which have been just repaired by the Tenants, are in general, pretty good, except some Cottages belonging to the Tenants which are old & ruinous. From hence we proceeded to Fourstones which is lett out in the following Farms Vizt

      Spights Farm containing 110A.1R.37P in the Tenure of Henry Errington Esq under a 99

Y[ea]rs Lease expiring in 1782 at 30£ pAnn[um] being about 5s/5d pAcre. It is now in the occupation of John Temperly, a Sub-Tenant, & consists of between 30 & 40 Acres of meadow & pasture, & the remainder arable, a very small part of which is in fallow.

      Lambert's Farm containing 35A.0R.9P in the Tenure of Cuthbert Lambert under a 99

Y[ea]rs Lease expiring in 1776 at 8£ pAnn[um] being about 4s/6 3/4d pAcre. It is now in the Occuation of Robert Charlton a Sub-Tenant. It consists of about 8 Acres meadow & pasture, the rest arable of which a small portion is in fallow.

      Hotbank Farm containing 23A.3R.38P under Lease to William Charnley (a Bankrupt) for 21 Y[ea]rs expiring in 1787 at 24£ pAnn[um] which is about 20s pAcre. It consists of about 8 Acres of meadow, the rest arable. The Hotbank Close No1 is very boggy & wants draining. The Island & Wheat Field were very much damaged by the great Flood in 1771 for which the Tenant had an allowance of 15£.10s.0d.

      Gibsons Farm containing 137A.2R.11P is in the occupation of Geo[rge] Gibson, William Lambert Robson & John Brown under a 99 Y[ea]rs Lease expiring in 1776 at 20£ pAnn[um] being about 2s/11d pAcre. It consists of between 40 & 50 Acres of pasture & meadow the rest Arable of which a small part is in Fallow. The pasture part of Haxton Brow is very rough & wants draining. On the outside of Reedland's Field & Reedland's pasture adjoining to that part of Fourstone's Common, where the Colliery is now working, being fit for little else, may be planted to advantage with Acorns; but in that case it will be proper to make a good screen next to the common with several Rows of Scotch Firs, Elms etc to shelter the young plants as they get up from the Winds

      Martyr's Farm containing 182A.1R.36P is under Lease to William Whitfield, for 6 Y[ea]rs ending in 1779 at 185£ pAnn[um] being about 20s/3 1/4d pAcre. It consists of between 60 & 70 Acres of meadow & rough pasture, the remainder arable, of which a very small part is in fallow. About 8 Acres of the Haugh Close were spoiled by the Inundation in 1771 & now lie covered to a great Depth with large Stones & Gravel, & the remainder of the Field very much damaged by Sand now ploughed in. Part of the Waterside was much damaged at the same time, & the Soil entirely taken away from the Wastes near the River.

      It were to be wished that the stones etc in the two first mentioned fields were removed & the land laid down to meadow, being unsightly & disgraceful in their present state & covering a good deal of fine Land. Haugh Close, which contains upwards of 6 acres & is now in Tillage, should be also laid to meadow, as well as the other pieces near the river, to prevent the soil from being swept away by the Floods. And several ponds of this farm should be drained, being in great want of it. The meadow land in general is very good.

      The house, Barn & stables belonging to this farm are very good but the other Erections, which have been made by the tenants are very shabby. The building an additional Stable and the raising of the roof of the Dairy; the former computed at £30 7s6d and the latter at £5 17s 5 1/2d (being part of the Buildings referred to in our examination by the Board’s minutes of the 15 of June last, appearing to be very necessary & proper Improvements we gave orders, the season being far advanced, for them to be carried into execution.

      Before we quit these Farms we must take notice of a very fine Wear or piece of walling against the Tyne, lately finished. The old one was, for near ¼ of a mile in length having been blown up & destroyed by the great Flood of 1771. The present Wear is 600 yards long & appears to be executed in a very solid substantial manner, having cost between 2 & 300£. Having viewed it we returned to Hexham.

      Sunday 14th Aug at Hexham