Chippenham
21^st April 1835

Dear Sir

I have held the Lady day Audit^<1> & have sufficient Balance in hand to make a Remittance of £500 – I will therefore beg the favor of your informing me, to whom I shall pay this amount –

Me^ssr Haden of Trowbridge have sent their Acc^t for the Iron Work over the South Gallery – viz £10 – as p^r Contract – I presume I may pay them – as it appears that the Work has answered the purpose in all respects–

My son ^<2> has rec^d an answer from M^r John Hayward’s ^<3> Sol^r in w^ch he takes, that he cannot advise his Client to give up the Property upon the terms w^ch you have offered but he says, he is ready to renew if you should be inclined to do so & offers to meet my Son at Melksham ^<4> for the purpose of fixing the Sum – so that they have given up one point w^ch they first claimed – viz – the renewal without a fine – My Son has no doubt whatever as to your legal claim to the Property, but as they have now offered to pay for a renewal of the Lease, he will [illegible deletion] wait to hear from you again, before he takes any Steps in the Business – & if you should feel inclined to take a Fine for the renewal of the Lease, he will negociate with the Parties for that purpose – or, he will give Notice to the Tenants to pay their Rents to you in future, in order to bring the Matter to an issue – as you may prefer – I am considering what is best to be done with the Cottages where we can get no Rent paid – & I hope in a few weeks, to submit some plan for your consideration upon the subject – I find from Tho^s Moore ^<5> – that there is the same complaint from other Landlords – & it appears to have been occasioned for by the stoppage or reduction of pay, since the alteration in the Poor Laws–

I am glad to find that the new System seems working well, in a parochial point of view the Rates are already reduced – but as it affects your interest as a Landlord in another way, it will be necessary to make some alteration with regard to letting a part of the Cottages, in order to meet the difficulty – but I find it is not an easy matter to do it – however I hope to devise some plan in a short time, for it will not do to go on as at present.–

All things appear going on well at the Abbey & I was glad to observe yesterday, That the Wall fruit does not appear injured by the late sharp frosts – Fitzsimmons ^<6> had protected the Blossoms, with Leaves &c.– quite effectually – M^r John Awdry ^<7> is returned to Keybridge & I am happy to say, in a very improved state of health –

I am Dear Sir Y^r. Obliged Serv^t
W. H. Awdry

W.H.Fox.Talbot Esq
31 Sackville Street
London

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Notes:

1. Lady Day is one of the traditional English quarter days, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, on 25 March.

2. West Awdry (1807–1892), solicitor, Chippenham.

3. John R Hayward.

4. Melksham, Wiltshire: market town near Lacock, 2 miles S.

5. Thomas Moore (possibly d. 1854), member of the Lacock Parish Vestry.

6. Cornelius Fitzsimmons, Scottish gardener at Lacock Abbey.

7. John Awdry (1766–1844), solicitor, Reybridge.