| The Bill’s preamble (pages 1-4) narrates that | ||||
| – Mr Errington made a proposal to the Northumberland Quarter Sessions to build a bridge at Hexham, and a road to it* | ||||
| – he entered into a bond for £9100, conditional on his building the bridge and road by 25 March 1780,and maintain | ||||
| ing them for seven years | ||||
| – Articles of Agreement* were signed for carrying out the work, between Errington and the Justices of the Peace | ||||
| It then explains that the following year, the Quarter Sessions had decided that County Money should not be paid out | ||||
| for building of County Bridges without an Act of Parliament for that purpose, and so an Act was duly passed. | ||||
| The work was duly carried out and certified as satisfactory in January 1781. However, on 11 March 1782, | ||||
| the bridge was destroyed by a flood. | ||||
| It then argues that experienced engineers have said that any bridge built on that site would be likely | ||||
| to be thrown down similarly, and so any attempt to rebuild the bridge would be fruitless. It is therefore | ||||
| reasonable that Mr Errington should be released from his obligations. | ||||
| It then enacts (pages 4-50 that | ||||
| – on condition that Mr Errington relinquishes all rights to the materials of the bridge, the Bond he signed in | ||||
| 1777 is cancelled | ||||
| – he and his heirs are declared free of any obligation to rebuild the bridge, or build another one anywhere | ||||
| else on the Tyne | ||||
| – the materials are to be vested in the Clerk of the Peace to dispose of as the Quarter Sessions directs | ||||
| – in the meantime, no prosecution is to be commenced against Mr Errington |