Witness Depositions – John Swinburn – 2 Apr 1690

John Swinbourne of Blackhall in the County of Northumberland yeom aged Eighty Three yeares or thereabouts Sworne and Examined

2 & 4	To the Second and Fourth Interrys this deponent saith that there hath beene for this fifty yeares last past and upwards a Comon high way used from Hedley, Blackhall and hexhamshire and other partes in the counties of Northumberland and Durham as occasion required, for all the king and queenes subjects att all times in the yeare for leading and carrying with horses carts waines and other carriages with both wood Timber & other Comodities in & through the lands & grounds of Stella called the Bogg als [alias] the Blackmires and soe to the Peth head and from there downe the Peth to Blaydon staithes or leadhills lying upon the River of Tine and so from theire conveyed downe by water to Newcastle & Elsewhere in the River of Tine. And he this Dept [deponent] amongst many others hath often used the said Comon high way in question for Conveying Lead Timber & other Goods for the time of fifty years and upwards, and this depont nor any other that he knows or ever heard off was never att any time stopt in the using and occupying the said Comon high way nor did ever he this depont  or any other that he knows or ever heard ask leave or pay or give any Recompense or Satisfaction for the said way in question to the said Sr Thomas Tempest or his Ancestors or any other person he claimes under for the usage of the said Comon high way above mentioned, and this depont  saith that neither he nor any other that used the said Comon high way in question, dureing the said time was ever stopt hindered or disturbed by the said Sr Thomas Tempest or his Ancestors or any other person the said Sr Thomas Tempest claimes under  in using the said High way, but onely once about Fowerteene or sixteen yeares since by a Servant of Sr Thomas Tempest and then it happened that he this depont and one Tho: Mills going with their carriages and draughts into the East Feild adjoining on the said Comon high way, by reason the ground called the Peth head was stoppt upp as unpassable by the falling downe of Trees, and the Falling or <running> together of the Ground, and the said Sr Thomas Tempest’s servant that soe made that stop demanded satisfaction for their comeing through the said East Field: but the said Thomas Mills replyed that they must use that way until the Peth was cleared or rudded of the trees and Earth and [word/words obscured] their Carriages as formerly itt hath beene.