Chippenham ^<1>
July 13^th 1825

Dear Sir,

I am obliged by your Letter of the 10^th Ins^t & will give directions for the Sale of the Wood &^c at Melksham ^<2> taking care that it shall not be sold for less than the Valuation – The reason of my writing now, is to mention the death of Richard Taylor ^<3> the Bailiff, after an illness of a few days – I felt so satisfied with his integrity & diligence in your service, that I can not but lament his loss very much. – He had no Children nor any one who assisted him in his employment, in a way to become acquainted with it & I have therefore to do the best in my power to select a Person qualified for the Situation – Three Persons have applied, Edward Barton, James Blackham ^<4> & Philip Phelps ^<5> the latter is very strongly recommended by M^r Paley ^<6> – He was formerly in Lord Pembroke’s Stewards office & for some years past has been a Surveyor of Taxes & is now residing at Lacock – The amount of Taxation having been so much reduced, he has a good deal of time unemployed & being quite independent of Trade & consequently of the Work People, I place great confidence in the prospect of his co operating with me in reducing the expenditure upon the Estates – The other Applicants I beleive [sic] to be Men of strict integrity, but not of equal knowledge in Agricultural concerns, nor of superintending Repairs & therefore I feel bound to second M^r Paley’s recommendation in behalf of Philip Phelps –

The next thing I have to mention is with about a small Piece of Ground originally taken from the Waste near Bowden Hill ^<7> on which a Cottage stands, now in so dangerous a state as to be unfit to live in – I can not recommend its being repaired as it would cost nearly as much as rebuilding to do it effectually – The People who rent it would give a fair Value for the premises to purchase it as it is n[ear]^<8> the Canal & they sell Coals – The Ground is quite detached from your other Property & I see no advantage in keeping it if you should approve it, I will get it estimated & report for your consideration –

I have been desired by M^r John Awdry ^<9> to state to you, that a small Cottage very near his Premises at Notton ^<10>, w^ch is lately fallen into your Possession by the death of an old Man – will be a very desirable thing for him to purchase & if you should be disposed to sell it, he shall be glad to give the full value of it – This Cottage is, like the one I have described above, quite detached & is situated between his Gate & a Farm of M^r Montagus. You will, I trust, beleive that in the relative situation in w^ch I stand towards him, I should not think of mentioning this application unless I was quite satisfied respecting your Interest.

I shall feel obliged by a few Lines as soon as convenient respecting the Bailiff, as it is of consequence to have the Situation filled – on the other subjects of this Letter you may prefer taking more time for consideration –

I remain Dear Sir Y^r obliged & Obd^t Ser^t
W. H. Awdry

W. H. Fox Talbot Esq
The Albany
Piccadilly
London

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Notes:

1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.

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

3. Richard Taylor (1781–1858), publisher & naturalist.

4. James Blackham (d. 1860), a tenant of Lacock since at least 1826.

5. Philip Phelps, Surveyor of Taxes & Bailiff, Lacock.

6. Rev James Paley (1790–1863), Vicar at Lacock.

7. Bowden Hill, Wiltshire, 1 mi SE of Lacock.

8. Written off the edge of the page.

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

10. Notton House, Wiltshire, 1 mi NW of Lacock.