Letter – Nicholas Walton to Richard Horne – 25 May 1759

To Richard Horne Esqr.       				Ravensworth Castle   May 25th 1759



Sir 

      We reced. yours with the Boards Minutes of the 16th Instant by last post, inclosing the two Coppys of an Anonymous Letter wrote to a Member of Parliament recommending an enquiry into the management of the Derwentwater Estate & complaining of several Grievances.

    	In Answer thereto, and in obedience to the Boards Commands we begg leave to observe  that in the year 1737 the Board of Directors for Greenwich Hospital Lett a farm called the Southside of Scremerston to William Ancrum, which commenced at Mayday 1737 for the Term of Twenty one years, which he did not enter upon till Whitsuntide , which in that year was upon the 29th May. The old Tenant Mrs Clavering enjoyed the Farm till that time which Mr Ancrum well knew, & was told by us at the time of Letting she had a right to.  That Whitsuntide being a moveable term we thought it proper to alter the Commencement to Mayday which he consented to when he took the Fram, accepted of his lease and signed a Counterpart accordingly.

      When we commenced Receivers, Mrs Clavering was under no Covenant of Husbandry & the Estate being imediately advertized to be Lett, she was under none at the time of Letting so that she had power to Tear or plow out the whole Farm before she left it, but was restrained by Threats from us (which was all we had power to do) from plowing out more than about 40 Acres, and we do not apprehend Mr Ancrum was thereby a sufferer.

      As to the Repaires, they were done as soon as the nature of the Thing would admitt of, and we cannot see Mr Ancrum was thereby a Sufferer; it was a matter of choice in him to Lead the Materials to the Buildings & for that he was pay’d a full satisfaction; and we do not apprehend he thereby neglected the working his Fallow.  These Repairs were conducted with our utmost care, such necessary Housing as were proper were built and where old Housing were unnecessary, & had any usefull old Oak or other Materials, they were used in new Buildings or in Repairing such old Houses as were fitt and Convenient; the Undertakers of those Buildngs allowing the full value of every old material so made use of.   Every place in the whole Estate where Buildings or Repairs were proper had our early consideration, and those which wanted most had the earlyest reparation, without regard to any one Person whatever.

      Mr Ancrum who we suppose to be the Writer of the Anonymous Letter took the Hospitals right on the Southside of Scremerston, in which Mr Armorer the then Proprietor of Priors Land, had about thirteen Acres of Infield land, with an unlimited right upon the Common at Scremerston as he alledged.  It is <true> the Complainant has alledged also that Mr Armorer had no right of Common , but as this was a matter of dispute which Mr Armorer was willing to referr and to which Mr Ancrum would never consent, it has by that means laid undetermined, Mr Stewart the Hospital Solicitor here was indeed ordered by the Board of Directors to make an enquiry into this matter, in which he examined Several Witnesses on both sides and Captain Romer the Owner of Priors Land after Mr Armorers death produced his Title Deeds.  Mr Stewarts report to the Board thereon, will shew the Evidence taken, the Extracts of the Deeds and in what manner this enquiry was conducted, unto which we begg leave to referr.  For our part we have taken every step in our power to have this matter settled, & to have a Satisfaction made to the Tenant if he had a right to it; & the reason why it has not been done we positively assert is entirely owing to himself, his pretended Losses in that respect will appear ridiculous, on comparing his claims at different times which the Board now have.

      The Limestone Quarries were advertised to be Lett Six Months as the Law directs & were Lett to Mr Armorer, the best bidder, and were by him entered upon without interfering with Mr Ancrums Quarry, at Eight Pounds p Annum, a Rent which was then thought very sufficient.  It was a new undertaking in that Country, where the burning of Lime in <Sale> Kilns was scarce known; and considering that nothing material had been made before, by the Sale of Limestone it was a considerable advance leading to a Future one, and tending to the Improvement of the Estate in general; and as this lease will expire in a very few years, & as there will be an established Trade fixed for Lime into Scotland; instead of this being a piece of mismanagement, we look upon it as a very great improvement , especially as there is Limestone in the Estate over and above what shall be Burnt at the draw Kilns to Serve the Lands at Scremerston for many Centurys.      

      The Colliery at Scremerston was Lett to Mr Armorer at One Hundred and Twenty five pounds p Annum, after advertising it to be Lett , also Six months, and after the former Tenants had failed upwards of Two Hundred pounds in the Hospital’s Debt. It was lett to Mr Armorer on a Lease for 21 years to commence at May 1749 & we apprehend has yielded very little Profitt, having been very Expensive and hazardous, so much that we look upon the Profitts made no way adequate to the risque.

      Thomas Scott whom we suppose to be the fourth Tennant & the Berwick Freeman, had a Farm on the North side of Scremerston Scituate on the Boundary of Berwick Common in which great damage had been many years ago done by working the Colliery.  He was desirous of making Improvement where those damages had been done, but as it was to be attended with great expence he was unwilling to undertake it without Renewal of his Lease. He therefore made application to the Board of Directors to have his lease Renewed, & in August 1754 they were pleased to agree to grant him a new Lease to Commence at Mayday 1758 at an Advance Rent of Twenty Five pounds p annum wch we then though very sufficient, and we are of the same opinion now.  The Building the Wall was not intended as an advantage particularly to Mr Scott, but to the whole Estate, and proposed to be continued westward so farr as Berwick Boundery extends. The Expence of Building this Wall to the Hospital was only £92.18.3½  (Mr Scott having Ledd all the Materials at his own expence) a Sum we apprehend verry properly laid out for the benefitt & Improvement of the Estate at Scremerston, & we have no doubt but the Board of Directors will think it proper that the Wall be continued the full length of the Boundery.

      The Manner in which the Estate was lett lately, will best appear from the bidding Book lodged with you by Mr Boag.  Mr Romer offered for the Southside of Scremerston, the Tenants of the North and Southside for their Farms, & Mr Jefferys of Hatherslaw (since failed in Circumstances) for the whole Estate which occasioned a delay in Letting till Mr Jefferys should find Security for payment of the Rent.  Mr Romer the present Tenant then offered for the whole estate to the Board of Directors, & it was Lett to him accordingly as being the best bidder £183 p Annum more than Mr Ancrum, with a proviso that the old Tenants should be accommodated for the Northside, wch has been accordingly done upon such terms as they and Mr Romer agreed upon.  And one of the Southside Tenants a Relation of Mr Ancrums has been accommodated also.  As you know Sir this representation to be matter of fact we submit it to the Board whether the behaviour of every one concerned has not been free from everything Inhumane or Tyrannical ours we know has been otherwise, & we hope it will appear we have acted an even part, & done our duty to the Hospital, in every respect to the utmost of our power.

      Upon the whole we hope it will appear the Derwentwater Estate has not been mismanaged, & that this may be Illustrated, be pleased to peruse the inclosed abstract of the Rental of the Estate as it came to us at Martinmas 1734 & as Lett at Mayday 1758, by which the Hon[oura]ble Board of Directors will see an advance of £4667.9.7½   p Annum besides £1397.15.7½  increase duty Ore from Lead Mines Communibus Annis since we have been concerned, so that the Derwentwater Estate my properly be said, & in Truth is advanced £6065.5.3 p  Annum, since it has been under our care; which gives us no small pleasure & we hope reflects no discredit upon the Hon’ble Board for whom we have the Hon’r to be concerned.  If therefore under their Direction the Derwentwater Estate has been so taken care of, do not that the Honourable Board deserve publick acknowledgements.  They have at all times readily heard complaints and as often redressed them and have taken care of a large Arrear due from Mr Ancrum, to avoid which he sett up unreasonable demands.  Have they waisted the publick Revenue by the payment of those Demands? Or have they neglected seeing that Revenue increased to what it is?  No, they have carefully guarded against the payment of every unjust claim examined into the most minute Article, paid every demand which appeared to them just & reasonable and now putt the Estate in such a way of Improvement, that it will further increase in Twenty one years, at least of Two Thousand pounds p Ann.

      We have now gone through all that we think necessary on this subject and wish it may be satisfactory to the Board; if it is not we shall be ready to obey their further commands and we are 

      Sir Yours etc    

      Nichos.  Walton     Hugh Boag



NB    Sent the Board the Comparison of Mr Ancrums claims at different times (Copyed in the Letter Book 9 Apr. 1756)