Journal entry – John Grey – 12 Mar 1835

Thursday 12th March



The day being good, rode through the Farms of Elrington, Lough Green, Vauce & Lees, at each of which some work is going on that I wished to see, or some request for new fences has been made by the Tenant, which I wished to examine into - some of which I found necessary and some that might be deferred.   Alighted at Haydon Bridge after being six hours on horseback & walked through the Wood at Threepwood to see the ground from which Mr Tweddle’s man had cut some trees said to belong to the Hospital.  If the present course of the Burn be the boundary, then they have certainly committed a trespass.  There is sufficient proof however that the course of the Burn has been altered a little there as frequently happens on steep hillsides & they state that some old men can be had to prove that the spot in dispute was planted by the then proprietor of Threepwood.  Should this evidence be satisfactory, it will set the matter at rest. There are several places where the boundaries in Woods are not very distinct & especially one between Mr Wilson’s Estate at Shotley & the Hospital in Newlands.  The line is defined at present by a difference in the growth of the Wood, but that will be effaced in time & I think it would be well if the Proprietors were to join in the expense of fixing some Boundary Stones to prevent disputes hereafter.  I had daylight to examine the small Embankment at Woodhall Mill, just finished & which Mr Hunt remained all night at Haydon Bridge to measure off.  I reached home at 8 o’clock.