Affidavit – John Richardson – 8 May 1742

John Richardson of Alnwick in the County of Northumb’d Gentleman aged Fifty Three years or thereabouts John Gladstone of Balmbroug in the sd County yeoman aged Fifty Four years or thereabt. William Neale of <Salkelde> parke in the sd County Gentleman aged Forty Six years or thereabouts John Boyd of Hope House in the sd County Yeoman aged Thirty Seven years or thereab’ts  John Murton of Alnwick afores’d yeoman aged Forty Years or thereabouts and Henry Johnson of Alnwick aforesd aged Thirty Eight years or thereab’ts Severally make oath as follows. And First the said John Richardson maketh Oath that he hath known the North Demesne and also the Goose Close both in the parish of Alnwick afores’d Upwards of thirty five years  last past and when he first knew the same the North Demesne was farmed by James Harrigate and Widow Todd both now Deceased Under his grace the Duke of Sumersett, And Frans. Anderson, Thomas Harrison and Robt. Richardson Who was the Deponents Father and who are all now Dead were farmers of the sd Goose Close (and the other lands now farmed by Captn. Archbold) under the Derwentwater Family and Continued so to be farmed for Severall years then next after during which time there was an Antient Hedge near to and on the west side of a Runner that now is in the sd Grounds Which sd Hedge was the Eastmost Boundary of the said Goose Close and Devided the same from the North Demesne and saith that all the Grounds on the West side of the sd Hedge lying within the Inclosure of the said Goose Close for all the time of his knowing the same as aforesd was the Goose Close Eaten by the Cattle of the Tenants or owners thereof and all the Grounds on the East side of the sd Hedge for all the time of his Knowledge  as aforesaid was part of the North Demain and Eaten by the Cattle of the Ten’ts thereof and saith that he cann the better Depose as above For that he has frequently while the sd Goose Close was farmed by the sd Francis Anderson, Thos. Harrison and this Deponents Father as above sett forth upon or near to the sd Hedge wch. was then but in very Indifferent Repair to take care of his Fathers Cattle and prevent their trespassing on the East side of the sd Hedge least they should be Impounded by the Tennants of the North Demain & during <this time> he this Deponent hath frequently seen the Cattle belonging to the Tenn’ts of the North Demain Depasturing upon the Grounds on the East side of the sd Hedge and Close to the same and upon all the Grounds now in Dispute and were never interrupted in so doing by the Ten’t Farmers or owners of the sd Goose Close to this Deponents Knowledge or that he ever heard of and further saith that the Grounds now in Dispute is Forty Four Yards in Breadth and this Deponent further saith that upwards of thirty Years ago the Goose Close & North Demain were both farmed by the sd Fran: Anderson and Continued to be farmed by him or his Tenants until he Dyed during which time the Hedge between the Goose Close and the North Demain was Suffered to fall down and saith that at the same time of the sd Fran: Anderson’s Death and after it when Capt. Archbold first farmed the Goose Close the old Hedge that divided the Goose Close from the North Demain still continued and was very visable>but Capt. Archbold soon after he became farmer of the sd Goose Close first Erected a Whin Hedge upon the sd old found and soon after the old found was plowed up by the order of the sd Capt Archbold and the sd John Gledstone maketh oath that he have known the sd North Demaine and also the Goose Close for thirty three years last past That when he first knew the same the sd North Demaine farmed by James Harrigate and Widow Todd under his Grace the Duke of Sumersett, and Fran: Anderson, Thos. Harrison, & Robt. Richardson who are all now Dead were Ten’ts. of the said Goose Close under the Derwentwater Family saith that when he first knew the sd North Demain and Goose Close there was an antient Hedge hearto and on the west side of a Runner that now is in the sd Grounds which sd Hedge was the Eastmost Bounder of the sd Goose Close and Devided the same from the sd North Demain And Saith that all the ground on the west side of the sd Hedge lying within the Inclosure of the sd Goose Close for all the time of his Knowing the same as afores’d was the Goose Close and Eaten by the Cattle of the Ten’ts. or Owners thereof and all the Grounds on the east side of the sd Hedge for all the time of his Knowledge as aforesaid was part of the North Demain and Eaten by the Cattle of the Ten’ts thereof and Saith that he can the better Depose as above for that thirty three Years ago he was hired as a hind with the sd James Ramsgate and served him in that action for a year then next after during which time he frequently and whenever he thought proper herded fedd & Depastured his said Masters cattle upon all the Grounds in Dispute and Close to the East side of the sd Hedge whithout any Molestation or Disturbance from any person Whatsoever Altho’ the Tennants of sd Goose Close were Severall times present & saw his sd Masters Cattle Depasturing there and Saith that the Cattle beloning to the Tenants of the sd Goose Close did never During the time he was a Servant as above to his Knowledge or that he ever heard of depasture on any part of the Ground in Dispute nor on the East Side of the said Hedge but always depastured upon the west side thereof Unless they happened to trespass upon the same by an Escape and as often as they did so if they were seen trespassing there they were either Impounded or hounded back again by the Tenants of the sd North Demain or their servants as this Deponent verily believes 



And the said William Neal maketh oath that abt six years ago Capt. Archbold Came to this Deponent and desired to lend him his plow and a Servant to plow the sd Goose Close which this deponent lent him & he this Deponent the sd Capt Archbold and the said John Boyd who was then this Deponents Servant went with a plow to the sd Goose Close and plowed the same And in plowing the sd Close this Deponent plainly p’ceived the found of an old Hedge near to & on the West side of a Runner that now is in the Ground in Dispute and thereupon this deponent told Capt Archbold that he was not well to plow up the sd found for fear of Damaging his Cattle and breaking his plow But the sd Capt Archbold Insisted that the said found should be plowed and that he would Answer all Damages that should happen thereby and the same was accordingly plowed up And the sd John Boyd maketh Oath that about Six years ago he was a servant to the sd William Neal & by his masters order Carryed a plow to the sd Goose Close And in the  presence of the sd Master and Capt. Archbold and by the Directions of the said Captain Archbold this Deponent plowed the sd Goose Close and in the plowing thereof he by the sd Captain Archbolds orders plowed up the found of an old Hedge Near to and on the West side of a Runner that now is in the Grounds in Dispute And the said John Murton maketh Oath that he hath known the North Demain and Goose Close for Ten years last past and that during the time of his Knowledge until Some short time after the said Capt. Archbold Came first to Farm the said Goose Close there plainly appeared to be the found of an old Hedge near to and on the West side of a Runner that now is in the Ground in Dispute and that Imediately upon the sd Capt. Archbolds coming to Farm the sd Goose Close he caused to be erected a Whinn Hedge upon the sd Found But saith the sd Found is now plowed up and was so plowed by the order of the sd Capt. Archbold as this Deponent very believes And the sd Henry Johnson maketh Oath that he hath known the sd North Demain and the sd Goose Close for twenty Years last past and that During the time of his Knowledge as afores’d Untill some short time after the sd Capt. Archbold Came first to farm the sd Goose Close there plainly appeared to be the found of an old Hedge near to & on the West Side of a Runner that now is in the Ground in Dispute and that imediately after the sd Capt. Archbold’s coming to farm the said Goose Close he caused to be erected a Whinn Hedge upon the said found but saith the sd found is now plowed up & was so plowed up by the order of the said Captain Archbold as this Deponent believes

John Richardson	John Gledstones	William Neal	John Boyd

John Murton		Henry Johnson



Taken and sworn at Alnwick in the County of Northumberland 8th May 1742 before me Henry Grey Esq. one of his Majesty’s Justices of the peace of and for the said County



January 22nd  1744/5 Sent the Board this day