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Jan. 25/58

My dear ,

I must trouble you today with a little matter of business w^ch I hope will not be inconven^t. You know that last Summer I found some good look^g iron ore on the hills n^r Lacock – sev^l p^sons have bⁿ to see it ^(K). some of whom I bel^ve to be v^y compt^t judges of y^e matter and they think _^^so well of it and ^to propose but they are ^not unwilling to sink _{lay out} Capital on _{in working} a mine, w^ch is a proverbl^ly uncertⁿ affair, unless they _^^can have a long lease, with power to construct tramways, and whatever else is necessary – I have ∴ to request y^r attentⁿ to y^e annexed stat^mt of facts w^th respect to them w^ch shows the pres^t posⁿ of these lands, as being in settl^t and if it appears to you suff^tly explain^d by this document statem^t, to signify your consent to the proposed exchange of lands w^ch I will then direct to my Solic^r to prepare in y^e usual manner

^(K) who are practi^ly acq^d w^h min^g – They all think well of it, but

Statem^t &c.

for perusal of Trustees

In y^e year 32 certⁿ l^nds in y^e parish of L. were belong^g to WHFT were vested in the Trustees of his marriage Settl^t

In the year 45, a R^lwy C^y desired t p^chs 16 ac^r of these l^nds for y^e f^mn of the r^lwy, and in order to accomplish this obj^t WHFT Esq. propos’d enterd into an agreem^t wth his Trustees to exchange the afors^d 16 acres for Nethermore farm, ^{a property} being _^^of about equal value, being much larger in surface ^{indeed of greater extent}, but much poorer hilly land. –

At the time that this exch^ge was effected, it was intended for ^{expected to prove} a perm^t arrang^t

But in the year 57 iron a deposit of iron ore was disc^d on Netherm. farm, and enquiries having been made by several parties who have visited the spot there is reason to suppose th^t this ore might be profitably worked if leased to persons possessed of skill & capital.

But the Settlem^t of the land opposes _^^{is at prsent} an impedim^t to any arrang^t being made w^th them,

It is theref. now proposed by WHFT to exchange Netherm. Farm for certain other lands, being of equal _^^{or superior} value or rather greater than ^to that of the orig^l 16 acres w^ch formed the subj^t of the former exch^ge as will appear from the Schedule of the lands _^^{so proposed to be exchanged wch is} annexed hereto.

<expanded version>

January 25, 1858

My dear ,

I must trouble you today with a little matter of business which I hope will not be inconvenient. You know that last Summer I found some good looking iron ore on the hills near Lacock – several persons have been to see it who are practically acquainted with mining – They all think well of it, but some of whom I believe to be very comptent judges of the matter and they think so well of it and to propose but they are not unwilling to sink lay out Capital on in working a mine, which is a proverbiably uncertain affair, unless they can have a long lease, with power to construct tramways, and whatever else is necessary – I have therefore to request your attention to the annexed statement of facts with respect to them which shows the present position of these lands, as being in settlement and if it appears to you sufficiently explained by this document statement, to signify your consent to the proposed exchange of lands which I will then direct to my Solicitor to prepare in the usual manner

Statement etc. for perusal of Trustees

In the year 1832 certain lands in the parish of Lacock were belonging to William Henry Fox Talbot were vested in the Trustees of his marriage Settlement

In the year 1845, a Railway Company ^<1> desired to purchse sixteen acres of these lands for the formation of the railway, and in order to accomplish this object William Henry Fox Talbot Esq. proposed entered into an agreement wth his Trustees to exchange the aforsaid sixteen acres for Nethermore farm, ^<2> a property being of about equal value, being much larger in surface indeed of greater extent, but much poorer hilly land. –

At the time that this exchange was effected, it was intended for expected to prove a permenant arrangement

But in the year 1857 iron a deposit of iron ore was discovered on Nethermore farm, and enquiries having been made by several parties who have visited the spot there is reason to suppose that this ore might be profitably worked if leased to persons possessed of skill and capital.

But the Settlement of the land opposes is at present an impediment to any arrangement being made with them,

It is therefore now proposed by William Henry Fox Talbot to exchange Nethermore Farm for certain other lands, being of equal or superior value or rather greater than to that of the original sixteen acres which formed the subject of the former exchange as will appear from the Schedule of the lands so proposed to be exchanged which is annexed hereto.

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Notes:

1. The Great Western Railway.

2. Nethermore Farm and Wood, Lacock, Wiltshire.