Carlisle Patriot, 23 Jul 1825 - Cumberland County Sessions (11)
petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk
Saturday 23 Jul 1825 (p. 4, col. 1-3)
CUMBERLAND MIDSUMMER SESSIONS.
THE KING v. INHABITANTS OF DALSTON.
[continued]
Cross-examined by Mr. AGLIONBY, the Clerk of the Peace said he believed this to be the original order made at the time of paying the money.
The second order adverted to by Mr. COURTENAY was then produced and read by the Clerk of the Peace:—
Date, July 15, 1724:—It appearing to this Court, that two assessments, one of 30 purveys, another of 28 purveys, were laid upon the parish of Dalston, with the approbation of the magistrates, for the repair of Hawksdale Bridge, and duly paid, except by the owners of Dalston-hall, Highhead Castle, and Ivegill, who refuse, though assessed only in a fair proportion, the Court orders, that if the amount be not paid, that the chief constable and parish officer do proceed to levy the same by distress, the amount when collected to be paid to the Trustees, &c. appointed to manage all money raised for building and repairing the wood and stone bridges in the said parish, &c.
Mr. Thomas MARTIN, parish-officer of Dalston for the last 25 years, produced the parish-books, and proved various payments, out of the collective poor rates, from 1760 to 1772, for the repair of Dalston, Hawksdale, and other bridges, for weiring near Dalston-bridge, &c. He also proved from the books, that so recently as 1814, payment out of the general rates for a new road leading to the New Union Bridge. And in 1819, there was an entry, by order of Vestry, for the repair of Dalston-bridge (the one in question), at £12 17s. All these payments, he deposed, appeared to have come from the parish-rates; and the parish always claimed exemption for the whole of its six townships from county-rate, in consequence of making these repairs. Dalston-bridge, he further proved, is at present out of repair.
He was cross-examined at great length by Mr. AGLIONBY:—The New Union Bridge alluded to was built as a substitute for Hawksdale-bridge, but not on the same scite. The parish is divided into two divisions: that of Dalston, comprising the four townships of Dalston, Buckhowbank, Raughton and Gaitsgill, and Ivegill: that of Hawksdale, embracing the townships of Hawksdale and Cumdivock, the latter including Cardew and Cardewlees. Previously to building the Union Bridge, many meetings were called of all the townships, and resolutions were entered into and reduced to writing. He did not know that the parish agreed to build this, instead of the other two at the parish expense, though he believed Dalston-bridge was mentioned by some, but he knew of no regular resolution to that effect. The river often changes its course. The foot-bridge now indicted always stood where it stands at present; formerly the river ran under it, and does now in winter. As to the main course of the Caldew, it was difficult to say where it was; it was seldom alike for two years. On Sunday last, the river was dry all day, except the dam made by Mr. HEBSON and Messrs. COWEN. Part of the water runs by Dalston Green when the water is not kept off. In very great floods the water covers all the ground about the bridge. Planks are laid to get to it, and it is open to the use of all the King's subjects. It is many hundred yards about by the New Union Bridge. The back race goes under the end of Dalston-bridge. Mr. HEBSON put both a wood and stone bridge over the dam that leads to the factory.
By Mr. COURTENAY.—Take the whole course of the year, as much water runs under this bridge as any other. The resolutions spoken of were in writing.—The Clerk of the Peace was not at the meetings on the part of the County was he?—Oh, no.
Mr. James RICHARDSON.—As overseer of the poor of the parish of Dalston, I paid £20 7s. in 1821, for repairing some small bridges over the dams, &c. I paid a rate for building Dalston new Bridge.
Cross-examined by Mr. AGLIONBY.—I know that the cost of the new Union Bridge was not defrayed out of the parish rate; a rate of 2s. in the pound was specially laid on for the purpose, after a meeting of the whole parish. I don't know of a subscription. I don't know that Mr. James BROUGHAM subscribed £30; he paid to the rate like other people.
Mr. COURTENAY.—This is called a subscription! Did he subscribe to the income-tax?
Witness continued.—I was collector of that division: it happened at that time to raise the money by poor-rate for bridges. No water now runs under the foot-bridge; in summer the bed of the river is dry, but not entirely. When there is sufficient water to run under the bridge, there is a flood, and then you cannot get to the end of the bridge dry-shod. The Bishop has always found wood towards repairing Dalston and Hawksdale Bridges. I have heard it said that the parish is divided for the repair of bridges; I live in Dalston division, and have paid a sum assessed for bridges within that division: but I never paid to Hawksdale division till the new Union-Bridge was built. I remember the old stone one being repaired, but did not contribute.
By Mr. COURTENAY.—I pay to the poor-rates out of which the money was taken; I meant that I did not contribute expressly. The dams spoken of fall in below the bridge; but the water of the back dam goes under it.
Mr. COURTENAY, through the Clerk of the Peace, put in an indictment preferred against the inhabitants of Dalston Parish at Michaelmas Sessions in 1810, for not repairing Hawksdale-Bridge, to which a plea of not guilty was put in at the January sessions 1811; and at the Easter sessions the plea of not guilty was withdrawn, the defendants pleaded guilty by verdict, and the Court ordered a fine of £1000 to be levied.
Mr. COURTENAY.—That's my case.
[to be continued]
sarahre...@gmail.com
John Reveley, my 5th great grandfather, was involved in the Forge:
FILE [no title] - ref. D HUD 8/27/2 - date: Not dated [circa 1755]
[from Scope and Content] 2 versions of draft lease (one omitting Griffiths) by the Bishop of Carlisle to Peter How, William Hicks, Gabriel Griffiths, all of Whitehaven, and to Charles Wood of Egremont - the low end of Lockwolfe, a close at Buckabank (2a. 1r. 0p.), to be a site for a new Iron Forge and mill-leat, to be built by the lessess term, for the longest liver's life of John Benson of Egremont, John Reveley, and John Robertson (Excise Officer); rent (blank); construction and repair clauses; timber and quarrying rights and access reserved to the Bishop.
In 1768, John emigrated to America with 23 members of the Reveley family. He operated the Westham Forge in Richmond Virginia, and during the American Revolution produced cannon and arms for the American patriots. The forge was destroyed by Benedict Arnold's men.
Saturday 23 Jul 1825 (p. 4, col. 1-3)
CUMBERLAND MIDSUMMER SESSIONS.
THE KING v. INHABITANTS OF DALSTON.
.