Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Ibbetson – 3 Jul 1778

To John Ibbetson Esquire 						Farnacres 3d July 1778



Sir

      You receive herewith Three Proposals for Lead Mines which you are desired to lay before the Board, as also the inclosed Cash Account for the Month of May upon which there is a Balance in favour of Greenwich Hospital of £1059:17:8½ in discharge of which and in part of our Rects since we have transmitted Mr Edwd Boxley the Treasurer’s Deputy a Bill for Three

Thousand Pounds.

      Having Visited the most considerable part of the Derwentwater Estate we have the pleasure to acquaint the Board that on our examination we cannot observe the Woods to have had any damage and that the Bailiffs in their several Districts appear to have exerted themselves.

      The Division Fences as recommended by Messrs Walton & Smeaton are most of them finished together with some additional fences which it has been thought expedient to make and tho’ somewhat more Money will be necessarily expended than is estimated, yet upon the whole the difference will not be material.

      Observing in several Farms that there were old Mounds of Earth, and Earth and Stone, some of which we doubt not have been fences fallen into decay upwards of a Century ago, and being of opinion that the Levelling of such and removing the Stones as also the Clearing Rubbish from and Levelling such other parts of the Farms as were likely not to be improved by the respective Tenants would be an advantage to Greenwich Hospital in the New Letting if done immediately it was thought right to give directions to proceed in the Levelling and improving of such parts as appeared to be most likely to occasion an Increase of Rental at the Letting in August, and we have not the least doubt but the Money expended in this way will give a very ample return.

      A Great Progress has been made in fencing the Wood Lands and the Highwood in particular will be completed this Summer.

      In the fencing off the wood Ground at Meldon on the South Side of the Wensbeck the Road has been run Straight, with the other part of the Road so as to be paralel [sic] to Meldon Park Wall and on Account of the alteration of the Fences at Hartburn Grainge a considerable part of the Old Road has been added to the adjoining Inclosures whereby it became necessary to make those parts altered, in the Turnpike manner, which is not only an Improvement to the Hospitals Estates but a publick benefit.  The Expence of the first mentioned Road will amount to no more than about £35 - - and the latter to about £28:10 – and both are nearly finished.

      Finding that the proposed setts of Housing at Newlands Fell Close Farm and Hoods Close East Farm as recommended by Mr Walton when he was in London would cost much more than was expected this led us into a consideration whether they might not be omitted, and on Viewing the Farms upon which it was proposed to make those Erections we have thought it for the Interest of Greenwich Hospital that the two Farms at Newlands as lately set out called Old Field Farm and Fell Close Farm should with the present Housing be Let together as one Farm; that the two Farms at Whittonstall as lately set out called Hoods Close East Farm and Hoods Close West Farm (except two Fields of the latter Farm called the Farr Intake and Low Broom which are added to Lawsons Farm) should also with the present Housing be lett together as one Farm; and that the said Lawsons Farm as lately set out should be Let with the

addition of the Farr Intake and Low Broom, which will save the Expence of the two Setts of Housing Nos. 2 And with respect to the other Farms where new sets of Housing were proposed it is only necessary to make the following alterations Vizt Meldon Park North Farm to have 35a:1R:31P added to it from Needleshall South Farm and to have a Set of Housing same No. 1 built for it instead of what was first proposed marked No. 3 which has been accordingly Contracted for and is now in Hands and we inclose you particulars for the several Farms agreeable to the above mentioned alterations and have given directions to the Bailiffs to make the whole public. 

      As we have reason to think from some intimations that it may be more advantageous to Greenwich Hospital to Lett Meldon Park Middle and South Farms in one Farm rather than two we have directed the Bailiff Mr Edward Bell to let it be known that proposals will be taken for those Farms together as One Farm or for them separately as two distinct Farms.  We are

      Sir Your etc

      NW Junior J.C.T.           





Contingent Payments made on Account of the Derwentwater Estate from 21st November 1777 to and with 28th February 1778 as follows



1777

Decr 8 & 9	Pd  

   Expences of N: Walton Junior on Account of a Meeting

    at Hexham relative to the proposed Turnpike Road from 

    Hexham to Alston                                          £1 15  1

9 Pd Christopher Nicholson for Coggs & Rounds for Woodhall Mills  6  8

1778

Jany 5	

   Pd Mr Henry Reed for Ten Cases for Plans of the Manor 

    of Alston Moor                                             2 17  6

30 Pd Josias Farrer for Postage on Account of Greenwich

    Hospital last Year                                         4  4  4

Feby 

4  Pd Mr Josh Hilton for an Iron Grate for Alston Mill         -  9  -

   Pd Ditto for repairing Wears at Mark Close,pt of Lowbyer

    Farm – and making a Road and Wall in the Butholme          9 13  8

13 Pd Expences on Account of Fourstones Division               1 11  9

16 Pd Expences on Account of the Exchange of Lands etc with

    his Grace the Duke of Northumberland                       2  2  4

20 Pd Mr William Charnley for Books Paper etc for the

    Receivers Office                                           5 12 10

                                                             £28 13  2

Farnacres 15 August 1778

Errors Excepted

NW Junior

JCT.