18 Duke S^t
23 Dec^r 1844

Dear Sir

I trust we shall be able to shew you that the injury you anticipate to your property can either be Mitigated by some modification of the line ^<1> or at the worst that it is of a nature Susceptible of compensation – even the Removal of a farmhouse if it were necessary is after all but a question of money and if rendered necessary by Severance the Company ^<2> is liable – I can assure you that I adopted the line which all things considered appeared to me the least destructive – but after the bustle of the Parliamentary notices after the 31 Inst. we shall have more time to enter upon the question

I am dear Sir Very truly yours
I K Brunel

To the Honorab^le
H Fox Talbot

Laycock Abbey – Chippenham

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Notes:

1. Brunel’s line for the Wiltshire, Somerset and Weymouth railway, a branch of the Great Western, ran across WHFT’s land.

2. The Great Western Railway Company.