Chippenham ^<1>

18^th Feb^ry 1826

Dear Sir,

I beg to acknowledge the rec^t of your Letter of the 11^th Ins^t – & will attend to your instructions respecting the old Cottage & Withy Beds at Nash Hill ^<2> –

I have enquired about M^r Coxwell’s Farms & hear that the Idea of selling them is for the present given up – They were to have been sold by private Contract, but I imagine not unless a good price could be obtained – I do not understand that any reduction has taken place in the selling price of Land, since the fall in the Funds, on the contrary, I have heard of the Sale of an Estate w^ch lately took place – where the Price obtained, exceeded the Valuation, considerably –

I should hope that the Deeds relating to Cloves Wood &^c – purchased by M^r Beaven, are by this time at M^r King’s ^<3> office, as I have been very urgent in my applications to M^r <Tilby?> to get them finished & I trust you will be able to sign them before you go abroad – I am very glad (as it has turned out) that the Money was not paid before, I think the Funds must be 15 P^r Cent lower than when the Sale took place –

I shall feel obliged by your giving me your probable address on the Continent during your intended stay there, in case I should have any particular communication to make –

I am Dear Sir,
Y^r obliged & obed^t Ser^t

W. H. Awdry

P.S– Will it not be better when I get M^r Beaven’s purchase Money, immediately to remit it to Mess^rs Hammerslys ^<4>, w^ch I can do by paying the Bankers Commission of 5/– shillings P^r Cent – in order to make sure of the low price of the Funds, for investment? – The Bankers charge nothing for remittance if it remains with them 15 days

W. H. F. Talbot Esq
Worthing
Sussex

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Notes:

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

2. Nash Hill, also Naish Hill, a hill and farm 1 mi NE of Lacock, Wiltshire.

3. Of William Read King & Son, solicitors, London.

4. Hammersley & Company, bankers, London.