23 May 3 William and Mary 1. Robert Slaney the elder of Hatton Grainge in the parish...

23 May 3 William and Mary

1. Robert Slaney the elder of Hatton Grainge in the parish of Idsall als Shiffnall gentleman.

2. Robert Clowes of the Inner Temple gentleman.

Slaney revokes all estates formerly created by him concerning a meadow or close land in the parish of Ryton by Beckbury called the Mill meadow. He has, at Ryton in a close called the Mill Bylett, "a little above the place where formerly stood a corne mill and a paper mill both under one Roofe and sometime since burnt downe & demolished, lately erected and built a slitting mill for the slitting of iron bars into iron roods, and also a paper mill where the former stood; and for the necessary use thereof, hath ever since, by makeing and raiseing of the damm end floodgated over against them, and the bankes of the said meadow and mill bylett next the Brooke there, running from Hatton aforesaid and Grindle, -- farr higher then they were before that tyme used or accustomed to have been raised, pounded and still doth pound the water of the said Brooke farr higher then it was formerly used to have been pounded, to witt, in breadth from thence up to the Meerstone as it is there now placed and so as thereby to overflow and destroy, three roods and six and forty perches of six meadows or Closes next adjoyning to the said Brooke, belonging to two messuages" of Robert Clowes (John Podmore and John Fletcher), viz. 1 r 9½ p of Adam's Ford meadow, wall meadow and the little meadow in the moore belonging to Podmore's tenement, and 2 r 36½ p of the meadow in or below the yard, Hogg meadow, and the Long meadow belonging to Fletcher tenement, as appears by a survey lately taken by the appointment of both parties.

Cons: Satisfaction for the trespass and damage already sustained or to be sustained; and £20.

Counterpart. Release of part of a meadow in Ryton by Beckbury called the Mill meadow, the part lying between the upper floodgates and a small slang of land (formerly part of it) now lying and being between a little narrow ditch which divides them and a broad ditch next the damm and bankes of the brooke (E), a little close of Slaney's upon part of which the slitting mill and paper mill are built, commonly called the Mill Bylett, and the hedge at the upper end of a close called the Bridge meadow belonging to a tenement in Ryton (John Podmore) (S); the hedge between the mill meadow and certain closes of land there belonging to tenements in Grindle (John Adams, John Pitt the elder, Elizabeth Haslewood widow and Thomas Haslewood her son, and John Haslewood son of the said Thomas ) (W); the lower meadow there belonging to the said tenement (Elizabeth Haslewood and Thomas Haslewood and John his son), and the bridge next the said upper floodgates (N).

Slaney also grants to Clowes, his heirs and assigns and their tenants in the messuage (now John Fletcher) a footway drifteway, waine and cartway at all times of the year to go, ride, lead or drive cattle and carts, from the messuage to the Mill Lane in Ryton, from the top to the bottom and from thence over the Mill damm there, and thence over Slaney's closed called the Mill Bylett and part of the close called Mill meadow, over the Broad ditch to the lower end of the slang, thence straight over the narrow ditch into the before granted part of mill meadow; and so back again. Slaney covenants that he has a good estate in the land, without incumbrance; covenant for quiet possession without interruption by any claiming under Robert Slaney, Thomas Grey late of Hatton Grainge esq and Walter Grey his son and heir (both decd.) Covenant for further assurance. Slaney covenants to pay 3/4 of all duties, assessments and contributions etc. ecclesiastical or temporal charged on the whole mill meadow when it was one and before any division was therein or thereof made and defend Clowes and his tenants. Within 1 month, Slaney will cause to be made one good hedge or fence in the slang next the little narrow ditch there, from one end to the other, sufficient to preserve it from trespass or damage by cattle, and also one good strong bridge sufficient to goe or ride, lead or drive, cattle or wains etc. safely over the bridge to be made out of the lower end of the slang straight to and over the little narrow ditch into the before granted part of the meadow.

Slaney his heirs etc. are to maintain the way now granted and the foote bridge and hedge. Covenant that Slaney, his heirs etc. his tenants at the mills or any other mills that may be built on the Mill Bylett and their servants, may without interruption by Clowes or his tenants of the said messuages, keep up the overflowing and drowning with water of all the said 3 r 46 p of Clowes' land up to the meere stone and no further, for the use of the mills.

Signature of Robert Clowes.

Memorandum that before the sealing of this indenture, a stone was by the appointment of both parties set in the meadow in or below the yard to be the utmost mark and boundary for pounding the water of the brook. It was agreed that Clowes may make a ditch not to exceed a yard in breadth from the Growers in the lower meadow belonging to Haslewood's tenement in Grindle, all along by the upper end of the mill meadow and at all times keep it open, scour and amend it, without hindrance of the owners of the lower meadow.

Witnesses to sealing and memorandum: Th. Fletcher, Samuel Fletcher, Robert Slaney jun., Robert Taylor, Robert Moreton.