Chippenham ^<1>
26^th Sep^t 1829

Dear Sir,

On the other side I send you the Proposals which I have rec^d for renting Inlands Farm ^<2> – as the three last appear to be the only admissible ones, I will confine my observations to them

With respect to Richard Knott ^<3>, I think he is a very honest Man as well as an industrious one & he states that he has sufficient Capital to stock the Farm – this I should hardly have supposed, but he assures me of the fact – still I doubt his Capacity for managing a Farm of that size & altho’ I should gladly let him a small quantity of Land I can hardly venture to recommend him on the present occasion – The next, David Clark ^<4> is at present a Tenant of Lord Crewe’s ^<5> near Calne ^<6> & he has referred me, as to his responsibility, to M^r Atherton – I have therefore no doubt of his eligibility in that respect – but I know nothing of him personally –

The last – Christopher Beaver I have known for many years, He rented a Farm of M^r John Awdry ^<7> for a long time when I was his private Steward & I always found him very regular in his payments & a good Farmer – He is also a Man of Property & on that account, considering the present precarious state of agriculture, a very desirable Tenant & was it my own Property I should certainly prefer him for a Tenant altho’ his offer is a trifle lower than the other two –

I tried hard to make him advance another shilling p^r Acre but could not succeed. – With respect to Crocker, he has not made a decided offer for the Farm at the highest price on the List – but wishes a week longer to make up his mind & in the mean time will endeavour to ascertain whether he can make an Arrangement as to the Stock on the Farm – the Validity of the Deed of Gift being at present in dispute & I have told him that unless this is satisfactorily settled it would be out of the question to entertain any proposals from him –

Perhaps you will have the goodness to give me your sentiments as to the choice of the three Candidates I have named during the ensuing Week in case Crockers proposals should not be admissible as I could then make Arrangements for the letting, w^ch is desirable, on acc^t of preparing the Land for the next wheat crops – at the same time mentioning your address w^ch will enable me to write again if Crockers offer should render it necessary –

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

W.H.F. Talbot Esq^r
Post office
Glasgow

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Notes:

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

2. See Doc. No: 01858.

3. Richard Knott, of Lacock.

4. David Clark, of Inlands Farme, near Lacock.

5. Lord John Crew, of Crew Hall, near Cheshire, had died on 28 April, just before this letter, and was succeeded by his son John, 2^nd Lord, who had married Henrietta Hungerford of Calne.

6. Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock.

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