Report – James Stuart – 23 Aug 1774

Tuesday 23 Augt



      Went this morning to Woodhall Mills where we met Edward Coats according to appointment who accompanied us to a Bank in Woodhall Farm a small distance off on the River’s side & shewed us the Stumps or Stools of the Trees which according to his information had been cut down last winter & given to Joseph Routledge the Miller. We measured those of Ash & found their dimensions as under vizt.



18 inches by 17 inches

17        by 15

12        by 11



We then went back to the Mills & searched them & the several outhouses & found nothing but some small stuff which Pearson declared had been given by him to the Miller for Gate Boot &c. We then searched the Dwelling House and in a small place adjoining the Bed Chamber we found several fine pieces of Ash converted for <Fellies> & other private uses. Upon asking the Miller how he came by it, he & his wife positively declared that he had bought it, but neither of them would tell when or from whom. At last one of the miller’s sons (who appeared to be a man grown, very candidly confessed that those pieces were part of the Ash Trees before mentioned; tho’ Pearson had roundly asserted that the Miller had had nothing more than the Gateboot first found. From these circumstances there not appearing the least doubt of Caots’ information respecting the above transaction, we recommend that Orders be given to the Receivers to insist upon Routledge who is only a sub-tenant being immediately turned out of the Mills; and shall ourselves before we leave this part of the country give direction to Bell to discharge Pearson and never to employ him again in anything which concerns the Hospital.



	The abovementioned Mills & the ground which is occupied with them are under Lease to Christopher Nicholson for 21 years expiring in 1782 at £53 p Ann. The mills are valued at £50 p Ann, & the ground which contains 53A 3R 29P at 23s being about 8s 2 ½ d p Acre. It consists chiefly of pasture & meadow. There are some pretty thriving Oaks & Ash in the Mill Haugh near the roadside, part of which Haugh, which Adjoins the river, has been improperly broke up & should be laid down again to prevent the soil being wash’d away by the Floods.

	The Mills (3 in number) are at a small distance from each other, and are worked by the same stream. They are all old & in bad condition & will shortly want a considerable repair or to be rebuilt. We therefore recommend that, whenever the one or the other becomes necessary, the old Mills be taken down & one good mill (sufficient to do the business of this part of the country) with all proper conveniences built in their stead. The Miller’s dwelling house & housing are very indifferent.



	From hence we entered into the Lands of Woodhall, which farm containing 290A 0R 13P is under Lease to Thomas Coats for 21 yrs expiring in 1779 at £120 p ann being about 8s 3 ¼ d p Acre. It consists of about 170 acres of meadow & pasture with some clover & woodland. The rest is arable of which between 30 & 40 acres are in fallow (chiefly foul) or Turnips. The meadows now in Tillage should be meadow; the Glens in Woodhall pasture planted & fenced, & the lower part of Tindal park also planted & fenced at the top.

	The dwelling house is not very good, but there are a new stable & Byer of stone & slated, a new helm thatched & some very good Barns, all of which want some rpair in their roofs which the tenant was ordered to get done immediately.

	Upon searching the Buildings we found some pieces of large ash timber which tho’ there was no proof, appeared clearly from their size to be part of one of the ash trees cut down on Woodhall Bank as beforementioned and so the Tenant Coats was given to understand at the same time letting him know, that we were the more induced to be of that opinion as he had been detected but a few months ago in cutting down a large ash tree upon his Farm & had paid the penalty, at the same admonishing him to take care how he offended in that particular again, as in case of detection he would not only be made to pay the penalty but prosecuted with the utmost severity of the law.

	The wood upon the above farm has lately computed at £155.

      Having finished we repaired to Haydon Bridge, where at the request of the before mentioned Edward Coats, we viewed a small Stable under the Moot Hall or Court House for the Barony of Langley, which Stable he rents of Bell the Bailiff, it having been insinuated by Pearson, that part of a Tree given to Coats for the purpose of making a Gate, Stakes etc had been applied by him to the making of a Door & other Conveniences for the said Stable. It appeared, upon inquiry that the above Tree was an old decayed pollard which grew in that part of Strother's Close which Coats occupies, that, some of it not being proper for the uses for which it had been given, as it would not split, he had made use of a part for the abovementioned Conveniences, and Pearson had taken away the remainder which he detained at his own house. We then ordered Pearson to fetch, & he accordingly brought, the said piece, which, as well as what had been applied to make the door etc appeared clearly to be improper for the uses for which it was originally intended; And that, therefore, Pearson's information was frivolous & malicious & made only with a view to prejudice Coat's in our Opinion.

      Having dispatched this important Business we went to Strother's Close, & were shewn, on our Way thither, that part of Low field said to have been taken off by Henry Atkinson & added to his own Freehold. Coats pointed out, & we thought we could discover the Traces of the old fence, wherefore we desired the Receivers to make a more particular enquiry into the matter, the first convenient opportunity, and also into the other matters laid to the  charge of Henry Atkinson by Coats & to report to the Board the result thereof. We then went into

      Strother's Close and found the hardship complained of by Coats with respect to rent to be real as he pays for the part he occupies containing only 3A.1R.24P no less than 8.£ 10.s 0d pAnn[um] being at the rate of 2£.8s.6 3/4d pAcre; whereas Henry Atkinson, who rents the other part (which is the very same kind of Land, only not so well managed by him) containing 3A2R16P pays no more for it than 3£.3s.0d pAnn[um] being at the rate of 17s6d pAcre; a plain proof that Coats, as he hath already stated to the Board, did expect, when he gave in his proposal, that he was to have the whole Close; we do therefore recommend that he may have some Redress, and, at the same time propose, that no more rent be taken of him, during the remainder of his term (which having been only for six Y[ea]rs, will expire in 1779) then what shall be in proportion to the rent which Atkinson now pays; and that such money as he may have already paid more than such proportion be returned to him.

      The above, in our opinion, ought to be done from a principle of Justice; and we think Coats, moreover, deserving of a reward for the Discoveries which he has made & which may be productive of much service to the Hospital; especially, as by so doing, he will most likely create himself Enemies amongst men few of whom would perhaps scruple to commit depredations in the Hospital's Estate, could they do it without detection. We saw an Instance of Enmity to him whilst on the spot, for Bell the Bailiff (piqued, as we imagine, with him for what he had done) endeavoured to brow beat him & otherwise treat him in a very improper manner, for which we thought it necessary to reprehend the Bailiff, & accordingly did it very severely. From hence we went to

      Langley So[uth] Common to view a piece of Ground which Francis Tweddell Esq of Threepwood is desirous of taking in and inclosing. It contains, as near as we could judge 10 or 12 Acres & adjoins to his Estate at Threepwood where there is an ancient Intake. We found stones laid down & in readiness to make the fence but Mr tweddell, who attended, was told he must not proceed any further, without applying for, & obtaining proper Leave from the Commissioners of the Hospital; we then proceeded to the adjoining Farm of

      Dinnetly, which contains 107A.2R. 25P & is under Lease to John Cook for 21 Y[ea]rs expiring in 1779 at 27£.10s.0 pAnn[um] being about 5s/1  1/4d pAcre. It consists of about 50 Acres of pasture, the greatest part boggy & the rest very poor & stoney; 20 Acres of Woodland; & the remainder arable, of which about 13 Acres is foul, fallow or Turnips.

      The wood consists entirely of Oaks* (*the Timber has been lately valued at £675) which are come to a pretty good size; being strait, handsome trees & in a thriving state. It was thinned last Season & the Weedings as they are called, sold to the Lead Mine company for the use of the Mines in Alston Moor. Great part of these Weedings still remain scattered up & down the wood, not having been taken away by the Purchasers, which we think may be attended with great Inconvenience, as it affords a pretence for people to come at all times into the Woods with axes etc and, under that pretence to commit Abuses without being discovered. We are therefore of opinion that, whenever any wood or bark is to be sold it should be brought to a particular spot on the skirts of the wood & laid together, & the purchaser obliged to remove it in a certain reasonable time. Having finished our survey of Dinnetly Wood the advancing state  of which gave us much pleasure, and taken a view of the Tenants housing which we found very indifferent, we entered upon the Lands of 

      Elrington which lie in Common fields very inconveniently interspersed with the Estates of the beforementioned Mr Threepwood and Mr Johnson of Ebchester; They consist of upwards of 160 parcels & contain together 240A.0R.10P, including 41A.3R.35P, being the Hospital's share of an Intake from the Common made about 30 Y[ea]rs ago. These Lands are under Lease to Joseph Maughan & William Wear for 21 Y[ea]rs ending in 1779 at 65£ pAnn[um] being about 5s/6d pAcre. Almost the whole in Tillage and in very bad condition.

      It is much to be wished that the above Common Fields were divided & inclosed, & there seems now to be nothing to prevent it provided parliamentary Authority can be obtained; Mr Tweddell having as we have been informed, exprest his desire to have it done, as well as the other proprietor who is nor nearly of age. We therefore think that some steps should immediately be taken to bring it about & that the Receivers should have directions for that purpose.

      The Housing belonging to the above Farm is very indifferent, except a Barn, Byer & Stable built since the commencement of the present Lease. There is a Smith's Shop at Elrington under Lease to Thomas Coats for 21 Y[ea]rs expiring in 1779 at 5£ pAnn[um].

      Having finished viewing the above Lands which took us up til it was quite dark, we returned to Hexham.