Report – James Stuart – 1 Aug 1774

Monday 1st Aug[us]t



      We proceeded this morning to survey the so[uth] side of Alston Moor & went in the first place, to Farnberry Lead mine, with is under Lease to John Jackson & others, & which at present yields very little profit to the Lessees not producing more Ore than is sufficient to pay the expence of carrying it on - Observed the Level which Thomas Furnace is driving from Nattras Gill to win Nattras or red Groves vein; the completing of which, as it is apprehended, will cost not less than £3000. Passed by several places where trials have been made without success, and also by two Levels, one carrying forward by Mr Monkhouse & partners to win Fletcheras vein, & the other, by the same persons, called Cooper's Dyke head Low Level; both which undertakings are far advanced & will, as it is thought, cost between £2000 & £3000 before they are finished.

      Caused the Wall of an Incroachment annexed to Low House Freehold, belonging to

Mr Richardson, a litigious Gentleman in this neighbourhood, to be broke down; & rode through the Breach. Were shewn Hundybridge Syke being the North, & Garrygill Burn being the South Boundary of the Common which the s[ai]d Mr Richardson formerly claimed as belonging to the above Freehold. Saw several Veins & Workings particularly Thortergill Syke, and Thortergill N[orth] Vein which are under lease to Mr John Reay & partners at Alston, and are carrying on to considerable Advantage – proceeded as far as Eshgill Burn, the No[rth] Boundary of Eshgill Liberty in Priorsdale, between which Burn & Thortergill Sun Vein is a large piece of Ground (in which there are not any known Veins) which had been kept for the Lead Mine Company on account of their Grant of Thortergill vein south end [Note in margin: ‘still untryed’] of which a forfeiture has been insisted upon by the Receivers as the Company have not worked it properly. Viewed Windy <Brow> Vein, one moiety of which belongs to the Hospital and the other to Mr Hopper, & is lett to Messrs Stephenson & Elliott who are working it to great Advantage - were shewn the Boundary from Clargill Burn head to John's Burn as lately settled by an award, and also a part of Priorsdale, containing about 23 Acres, in dispute with Lord Darlington who claims it as being within the Forest of Teesdale. We then proceeded to the Hospital's Freehold at,



      Tynehead, which is divided into two Farms; One of which containing 132A. 3R. 17P is

lett to Thomas Smith, for 5 Y[ea]rs expiring in 1779, at 16£.10s. 0d pAnn; and the other containing 137A. 1R. 18P, to Thomas Kidd, for a like term, at 17£.0s.0d pAnn. They consist entirely of meadow & pasture which are very swampy & stand in great need of draining and are therefore unfit for Tillage. [Note in margin: ‘being each of them about 2/6 pAcre’] Windy Brow pasture lately divided with Mr Hopper adjoins to these Farms & the Hospital's * Moiety is now thrown into them, each having about 100 Acres of it which is included in the above quantity; It is a coarse boggy piece of Land, capable however of great Improvement by draining, dividing into smaller parcels, fencing, & planting pretty large Scoch Firs & Elms

& other hardy trees round the Outside fences, which we recommend to be done as well as on the other parts of the above Farms; both for use, ornament & profit.



* this Moiety is esteemed the best Land & Mr Hopper has therefore 15 Acres more awarded him by the Reparing



      Appurtenant to these Farms is a Moiety of the Estate of about 700 Acres of Common

      There is Housing for both the Tenants which is in good condition. The Dwelling House having lately had a thorough repair & adjoining to it another Tenement built at the same time for one of the Tenants. There is also a new Byer & Milkhouse the whole built with stone & slated.

      From hence we crosst the Tyne at Clargill Burn Foot & entered that part of Priorsdale

called the Hill Liberty, & were shewn, at a distance, the Boundary from <Nunstones> to Crossgill Head as also lately settled by an Award and, passing thro[ugh] Garrigill to Low house Freehold; observed great spoil which the Tyne has made upon the Land of Redwing Tenement; owing to the beforementioned Mr Richardson's having diverted the course of that River from its ancient Channel, with an Intent, as is suspected, to lay a part of the above Tenement to his Freehold. From hence we returned, in the Evening to Alston.