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The Documents

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The Documents

This page provides a link to each of the separate documents in the Hexham Bridge volume, with explanations and additional material. Follow the link for the first page of each document

You can also follow these links for

  • an Introduction and explanations of various issues
  • a list of the people involved, and explanations of their role
  • a legal note on the various stages of the court case
  1. Copy of authorisation for Sir Walter Blackett to build first bridge at Hexham, 16 January 1767 (3 pages)
  2. Record of payment from Blackett’s executors in discharge of his bond, 31 July 1777. After the collapse of his first bridge in 1771, and the failed attempt to rebuild in 1774-75 (see document 3), Sir Walter took no further action, but the County magistrates do not appear to have pursued him during his lifetime.
  3. Copy of letter to John Wooler from John Pickernell, 19 July 1775 (2 pages). This is quoted at some length in Smeaton’s Memorial concerning Hexham Bridge part 1, printed version and our Document 35. It relates to an abandoned attempt to rebuild the bridge, under Sir Walter Blackett, in 1774-75.
  4. Record of Henry Errington’s proposal to rebuild the bridge at Hexham, 16 Jan 1777
  5. Letter from William Lowes,  11 April 1778 (2 pages), recipient not known, badly damaged and stained, objecting to the Parliamentary Bill authorising the bridge. This Bill was the result of a protest by a committee of gentlemen, freeholders and farmers. The issues, the negotiations, and the settlement were explained in lengthy articles in the Newcastle Chronicle in the autumn of 1777 and spring 1778, transcribed here; Hexham Bridge, transcripts from Newcastle Chronicle 1777-78. The Hexham Bridge Act incorporated the agreement made in February.
  6. Another letter from William Lowes, 12 April 1778 (1 page and fragment), recipient not known
  7. Badly damaged and torn sheet, probably a proposed additional clause for the Hexham Bridge Bill from Mr Lowes, concerning the repair and rebuilding of bridges over the Tyne, addressed on the back to Mr Letteney
  8. Articles of Agreement for building the bridge (2 pages), 2 June 1777 , badly stained and almost unreadable in parts. These articles were incorporated word for word in the Hexham Bridge Act.
  9. Design for a Bridge over the River Tyne. This appears in rather different format as an engraving in Smeaton’s Reports, together with a design for the North Termination.
  10. Illustration; the Ruins of Hexham Bridge from the East, dated 1784, artist unknown
  11. Case for Mr Errington (a request for advice from a lawyer; 4 pages and cover), undated, but see document 12. Pages badly stained
  12. Advice of Mr Wallace (1 page), 5 June 1782, badly stained
  13. List of Magistrates at Midsummer Sessions 1782
  14. Minute of Midsummer Sessions 1782
  15. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, with a docket by Heron, 5 February 1783 (2 pages)
  16. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 14 February 1783, with docket by Heron (1 page with addresses and docket)
  17. Letter from John Donkin to Ralph Heron, 19 February 1783 (2 pages)
  18. Letter from John Donkin to Ralph Heron, ‘Monday’
  19. Notes of House of Commons Committee considering Errington’s Petition, 27 February 1783 (21 pages). This appears to be the rough draft of a report to the House of Commons which was made on 4th March 1783 by its chair, Sir William Middleton, and is printed in the House of Commons Journal, vol 39, pages 266-68 (available online via Google Books). The Commons resolved that leave should be given to bring in a Bill cancelling Errington’s obligations, on the terms put forward (see document 24).
  20. Heading page of Witness Depositions (this may refer to Document 19, or may be other written material not included in the volume)
  21. Letter from John Donkin to Ralph Heron, 22 March 1783
  22. Draft petition to Parliament from Henry Errington, (7 pages and cover note)
  23. Remarks and objections to Errington’s petition from the Northumberland JPs (6 pages and cover note)
  24. Parliamentary Bill for cancelling Errington’s bond (6 printed pages, with manuscript note on final page)
  25. Draft clauses for addition to Parliamentary Bill (5 pages and docket)
  26. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 27 March 1783 (2 pages)
  27. Letter from John Donkin to Ralph Heron, 4 April 1783 (1 page and cover)
  28. Letter from John Donkin to Ralph Heron 16 April 1783 (2 pages)
  29. Report by Robert Mylne to Northumberland Magistrates, 24 April 1783 (2 pages and cover note). A printed version of this is also included in the pamphlet at document 46, and a further printed version was also included in Smeaton’s Reports
  30. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 30 April 1783 (2 pages)
  31. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 1 May 1783 (2 pages)
  32. Letter from John Donkin to Ralph Heron, 14 May 1783 (3 pages)
  33. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 15 May 1783 (2 pages). The Newcastle Chronicle of 14 June reported on ‘demonstrations of joy’ at Hexham that Errington’s proposed bill had been ‘thrown out’ of the House of Commons
  34. Letter from Henry Errington possibly to Ralph Heron, 18 June 1783 (2 pages)
  35. Mr Smeaton’s Memorial concerning Hexham Bridge. A printed version of this was included in Smeaton’s Reports, and is available here in two parts because of its length. Follow this link for Part 1, and this link for Part 2
  36. List of those to whom Mr Smeaton’s Memorial was to be sent (1 page and cover note), with accompanying letter. Undated
  37. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 2 July 1783 (2 pages)
  38. Letter from Gawen Aynsley to Ralph Heron, 11 July 1783 (1 page)
  39. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 11 July 1783 (2 pages)
  40. Draft letter from Ralph Heron to Henry Errington, 18 July 1783 (2 pages)
  41. Letter from John Donkin to Ralph Heron, 17 August 1783 (2 pages)
  42. Henry Errington’s Case to the Grand Jury (3 pages and docket). Document 46 includes a paper based on this, and a version is also included in Smeaton’s Reports
  43. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 5 October 1783 (docket and 3 pages)
  44. Letter from Gawen Aynsley to Henry Errington, 28 October 1783 (docket and 2 pages)
  45. Letter from Henry Errington to Gawen Aynsley, to be communicated to those at the Quarter Sessions, 22 September 1783 (6 pages and docket)
  46. Printed pamphlet (20 pages), undated, but probably handed out to attendees at the Quarter Sessions on 8 October 1783. It contains a copy of the Report by Robert Mylne (see document 29), a paper from Henry Errington (see document 42), and a response by Robert Mylne, 30 September 1783. A printed version of this response was also included in Smeaton’s Reports.
  47. John Smeaton’s Estimate of what it would cost to reinstate the bridge, 10 December 1783 (1 page and docket)
  48. Letter from John Smeaton to Henry Errington explaining the estimate, 10 December 1783 (2 pages)
  49. Letter from Henry Errington, probably to Ralph Heron, enclosing a proposal for settling the dispute, 18 Dec 1783 (2 pages)
  50. Letter from John Davidson, Clerk of the Peace, to Ralph Heron, 15 January 1784 (2 pages)
  51. Copy letter from Ralph Heron to Henry Errington, 16 January 1784 (2 pages), narrating events at the Sessions on 14 January 1784
  52. Letter from Henry Errington in London to Ralph Heron, 20 January 1784, responding to Heron’s letter. Following this, John Smeaton wrote a long letter to John Donkin, dated 7 February 1784, included in Smeaton’s Reports but not in our file of papers. Smeaton to Donkin 7 Feb 1784
  53. Letter from John Donkin to Ralph Heron, 14 February 1784 (2 pages), saying that Mr Errington’s lawyer has suggested he has a good case for having the magistrates’ decision set aside.
  54. Draft Case to the Court of Chancery, undated but spring 1784 (5 pages).
  55. Letter from John Davidson to Ralph Heron, 17 November 1784 concerning the Chancery case
  56. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 26 November 1784 concerning the Chancery case
  57. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 30 April 1785 concerning the Chancery case
  58. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 17 July 1785 concerning the Chancery case and enclosing the plaintiffs’ reply (document 59)
  59. Replication (response) from the plaintiffs to the Court pleading (2 pages)
  60. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron,11 November 1785, telling him that the plaintiffs had won their case against Mr Errington
  61. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 17 October 1786, expressing surprise at the news that the plaintiffs were now enforcing the judgment against Mr Errington
  62. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 19 October 1786, saying that he cannot see how to prevent the judgment being executed
  63. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 21 October 1786, saying that Mr Errington is not planning to come north despite the news in document 61.
  64. Questions to Mr Fawcett and his replies, 25 October 1786 (2 pages). Fawcett was the lawyer employed by the County to advise them on the case.
  65. Mr Smeaton’s Deposition, 28 October 1786 (4 pages). This would appear to be a note taken down during an oral hearing by an ‘examiner’, and is very difficult to read, with numerous abbreviations (and see below, Document 66)
  66. Mr Smeaton’s response to Interrogatories. (24 pages plus docket on outside of bundle) This is a fairly-written, and much edited, version of Document 65.
  67. Report of Witness examinations, 4 pages and docket. The docket lists those examined, and the dates; Robert Mylne and Joseph Ellias or Ellis, 4 August 1786 (page 1), John Smeaton, 2 November 1786.
  68. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 19 December 1786, explaining that the Judge had said that all proceedings on the judgement (against Mr Errington) should be stayed until the issue itself is heard
  69. Letter from Henry Errington to Ralph Heron, 21 December 1786, 2 pages
  70. Letter from Mr Letteney to Mr Heron, 1 January 1787
  71. Draft Interrogatories (that is, the list of questions to be asked of witnesses), 2 pages
  72. Perfected Interrogatories (the final version of document 71), 1 page and note on back of sheet
  73. Replies to the Interrogatories, 12 January 1787, from John Donkin, Thomas Layborn, (also spelt Laybourn), John Davidson, Christopher Blackett, George Weatherby, 10 pages in all with docket on last page.
  74. Draft proofs of evidence for Mr Errington’s case, 7 pages and docket, from Jonathan Pickernell, John Donkin, Ralph Heron, John Smeaton, Robert Thompson and William Johnson
  75. Draft of Ralph Heron’s deposition, 1 page plus cover note
  76. Exceptions taken by Henry Errington (the complainant) to answers by the defendants, 4 pages, edges missing; John Tweddell and Bacon Westell, Gawen Aynsley
  77. Papers sent to Mr Letteney 22 January 1787; these are documents shown to Mr Donkin at the time of his original examination. Exhibit A is the estimate of the cost of repairs by the three local surveyors, Robert Thompson, William Johnson, and Thomas Rickley (see The People for more information about them). Exhibit B is Mr Smeaton’s estimate of the cost of repairs (this also appears as document 47), and Exhibit C is a letter from Mr Davidson, Clerk of the Peace, to Mr Heron.
  78. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 2 March 1787
  79. Copy of Defendants’ Rejoinder, 2 pages
  80. Undated note from Mr Davidson to Mr Heron
  81. Further undated note from Mr Davidson to Mr Heron
  82. Letter from Mr Letteney to Mr Heron, 22 March 1787
  83. Letter from Mr Errington to Mr Heron, 26 August 1787
  84. Letter from Mr Errington to Mr Heron, 8 September 1787 (2 pages)
  85. Order for Injunction to stay proceedings, 19 December 1787 (1 page and cover note). See the Legal Note for an explanation of this
  86. Letter from Mr Letteney to Mr Heron, 22 February 1788, explaining what happened when the Chancellor heard the case in detail
  87. Letter from Mr Errington to Mr Heron, 18 March 1788
  88. Letter from Mr Errington to unknown recipient, 27 March 1788, (4 pages) (transcription not yet uploaded)
  89. Draft affidavit by Mr Heron, 4 April 1788
  90. Copy of Mr Davidson’s affidavit, 12 April 1788 (4 pages) (only part of transcription uploaded)
  91. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 27 May 1788, concerning progress of the court case
  92. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 30 May 1788, requesting Mr Miln’s report and estimates (see document 46)
  93. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 4 June 1788 (1 page and cover), concerning progress of the case
  94. Letter from Mr Letteney to Mr Heron, 12 June 1788
  95.  Letter from Mr Letteney to Mr Heron, 21 June 1788. This encloses a list of potential members of the Special Jury being appointed to hear the case at the court in Carlisle. The procedure was for 48 names to be put forward, and plaintiffs and defendants each then to delete 12, so ending up with a jury of 24. Such juries (also known as ‘struck juries’ were used, according to the great legal authority of the time, Sir William Blackstone, when a case was ‘of too great nicety’ for ordinary freeholders to be involved, or where the sheriff was ‘suspected of partiality’ but not enough to warrant his exclusion from the case. (Oldham, p. 180)
  96. Letter from Mr Donkin to Mr Heron, 24 June 1788
  97. Letter from Mr Letteney to Mr Heron. Undated, but clearly following on speedily from documents 95 and 96, so late June. The Sir John Scott referred to in the text had either just become, or was about to become, Solicitor-General, one of the Government’s leading law officers, and appeared on Errington’s side in the court case in Carlisle. See The People for further information about him
  98. Letter from Mr Letteney to Mr Heron, 2 July 1788, giving the names of the final 24 selected (3 pages and cover)
  99. Letter from Mr Letteney to Mr Heron, 8 July 1788 (2 pages)
  100. Letter from Mr Davidson to Ralph Heron, 10 July 1788 (1 page and cover)
  101. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 10 July 1788
  102. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 11 July 1788
  103. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 14 July 1788
  104. Admissions by Mr Davidson and Mr Heron, July 1788
  105. Agreement on use of copy documents at trial, 16 July 1788 (2 pages)
  106. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 18 July 1788 (2 pages) and copy of court order
  107. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 23 July 1788
  108. Issues for the Assizes, June-July 1788 (5 pages and cover note). Much of this document is legal nonsense,  suggesting it was drafted by amateurs unfamiliar with the legal system.
  109. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 13 August 1788
  110. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 11 December 1788
  111. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 2 March 1789
  112. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 18 April 1789
  113. Letter from Mr Letteney to Ralph Heron, 14 May 1789
  114. Cover with list of documents enclosed
  115. Lord Chancellor’s Order, 7 May 1789 (1 page and cover note)
  116. Summary sheets of expenses (4 pages)
  117. Narrative of the proceedings relative to Hexham Bridge. This is a description of the long legal case between Errington and the Northumberland JPs, written in 1788 after the conclusion of the case. The author is unknown, but may be Errington himself, and it was printed by a London printer. This is the final document in the volume. Follow this link for Summary; Narrative of Proceedings, prepared by Chris Walton

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