Letter – Robert Lisle to Nicholas Walton – 10 Jul 1779

Copy of Mr Lisle's Letter to Messrs Walton & Turner



Gentlemen

      I shall be much obliged to you if you will be pleased to take the first opportunity of communicating the Contents of the inclosed to the Honourable the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital in such manner as you may see proper, and as soon as you know their pleasure, to signify the same to me that I may acquaint the Trustees of Elsdon Turnpike Road therewith at their next Meeting or as soon afterwards as you can conveniently enable me to do it. I am

      Sir  Your most H'ble Serv't

      Robert Lisle Junr

      Morpeth 10th July 1779





The Trustees of the Turnpike Road leading from a Well Inhabited part of this County towards the West and opening a Communication with North Britain from that part of it called Elsdon high Cross to this Town and on that Account it is called the Elsdon Road which was formed and repaired about 26 years ago in pursuance of an Act of Parliament made for that purpose having fully enquired into the use that Road was of and the state of it in all respects and finding that it was of great public utility and of particular benefit to this Town resolved to  apply for a Renewal of the first Act made for the repairing of it before the end of the time allowed for that purpose altho' it appeared that the Road was not only greatly in Debt but very little Interest paid for the Sums which had been borrowed upon the Credit of the Tolls and that a great Expence would attend such Renewal which was about a year ago applied for and obtained and the Charge attending the same may be gotten by the Tolls of the Road, but to have a safe and convenient Road it will be necessary to divert and change that part of the Line and direction of it from this Town to Mitford Bridge not only on account of the present Roads crossing the River Wansbeck two times in that part of the Road which renders the Passage at all times very disagreeable and dangerous and frequently impassible, but by the washing away the Bank between the River and Road by frequent floods a part of the Road there is now at all times very dangerous and will soon become impassible, and that a Fund to discharge the necessary Expence thereof cannot be raised upon or by the Tolls of the Road or otherwise than by Subscription. Therefore the Trustees came to a Resolution to represent these Particulars to these who appeared to be the most interested and benefited by having a commodious safe and fit Road for Travellers and set on foot and promote a Subscription for the raising a sufficient Fund to answer the Expence that will attend the same and their Clerk was by them directed in the first place to write to Lord Carlisle and attend the Bailiffs of Morpeth to acquaint them with these particulars and also the Estimate of the Charge that will attend the necessary Alteration and Change of the Direction of the Road which by skilfull Judges amounted in the whole to £310.10s.0d and his Lordship has in consequence thereof by his Agent or Steward residing near Morpeth, who after enquiring into the truth of all Particulars subscribed £50 and the Bailiffs £20 upon which the Trustees at their last meeting directed their said Clerk to attend or represent these particulars to all persons who have Estates & Property boundering upon or lying near this Road so as to receive a Benefit from it and to request that they will be so good as to take the same into consideration and be pleased to subscribe or order a Subscription to be made on their Account as they may respectively think proper, to answer and promote so good a purpose and amongst the rest to the Honourable the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital and as that is the reason of transmitting this to Messrs Walton & Turner their Agents &c it is hoped they will not only take the trouble of it but signify it or cause it to be signified to the said Clerk the pleasure of their Honours respecting this public good Work. The next Meeting is appointed to be held at

Morpeth on the 12th of August next and it is hoped before then that a handsome Subscription will appear. 

      Morpeth 12th July 1779.