Chippenham
April 27th 1857
Sir
It appears that on your estate at Nash Hill on Mr brother’s farm there is iron ore to a considerable extent & which may be turned to considerable profit to you if you would entertain the project & my object in writing to you is to ascertain if you would suffer it to be worked securing to yourself a royalty per ton upon all that may be raised – There would be no outlay of any kind on your part but a certain tonnage upon all – I have not spoken to your steward Mr Awdry upon the subject but if you have no objection to it I will see him & get his permission to sink a hole or two to ascertain the depth & value of it & to treat with him upon such conditions as may be deemed right & fair – any damage that may be done to the tenant in the experiment I will undertake to pay him –
Mr Brotherhood <sic> has been to see the ore with me today & it is of about the same quality as that found at <Leesid?> & on Mr Starkey’s estate from which only a hedge divides it – You will please excuse my direct application to you but without your consent I know nothing can be done in the matter & as there are various places where the ore has been discovered your early attention to the matter may be advantageous to you & your early reply will oblige
Yours respectfully
N Mortimore
H F Talbot Esq