Lacock
Tuesday
My dear Henry,
I agree with you that 25 is a good deal to lay out in one year on the dormitory my advice to you therefore is to leave the inside alone for the present but to point & make secure the roof thereof, there is no calculating the expence which may be consequent on neglecting that, were I in your situation I would do nothing I could avoid till the roof all round was thoroughly repaired – then a few pounds a year would keep it in a good state for your life – I will consult Carey as to the prospective necessary repair to the roof, & the periods beyond which it will probably be dangerous to leave it neglected; as to the steps I will see what can be done to prop them up, bearing in mind however, that if they fall instead of being taken down stone by stone so many will be broken that the expence of rebuilding will be much increased – I am sorry for the pony but I never had any opinion of the coachmans judgement as to the goodness or soundness of a horse, I always employ Hayward <1> & have never repented trusting to him – There is no difficulty in making the cloister Door according to the plan your mother shewed you, but there is, if you are quite decided to have it without the upper part being fixed, in this case it must be placed in a line with the outer or inner face of the wall, whereas to look well it should be about half way – to have the appearance of being deep set in the wall viewed from either side <2> – Banks <3> is not yet recovered but his sons <4> are quite equal to making the steps – on reading your letter over I think you mistook what Carey told you – the 25. was not only “for a little lathe & plaster” but also for what is of much more consequence pointing thereof to keep the wet & snow from coming in as it did last winter I fear Kit <5> leaves us tomorrow but he is not communicative, & I only hear this by a side wind – Bowden <6> is definitively let to Mr Hobhouse – we dine with the Rooks <7> tomorrow, & there is a chance of our meeting Mr Harman <8> there!! This Idea rather bores me, but your mother thinks it will be rather good fun.
Yr aff
CF
Notes:
1. Possibly Thomas Hayward (b. 1783), tenant farmer, Wick Farm, Lacock.
2. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother. The drawing is mentioned in Doc. No: 03495.
3. George Banks, snr (1786–1864), stonemason & coalseller, Lacock.
4. George Banks, jnr (1821–1894), stonemason, Lacock and his brother.
5. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
6. Bowden Farm.
7. Capt Frederick William Rooke (1782–1855), of Lackham, Wilts, and his 2nd wife, Harriet, née Hyde.
8. Ezekiel Harman (1773-1845), of Bowden Park, Wilts; neighbour of WHFT, active in local affairs.