Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X95/291/1
  • Title
    From: Thomas Sworder at Cennen Tower, Llandeilo; To: Thomas Sworder, Hertford
  • Date free text
    15 Oct 1848
  • Production date
    From: 1848 To: 1848
  • Scope and Content
    From: Thomas Sworder at Cennen Tower, Llandeilo; To: Thomas Sworder, Hertford "If you did not see Robert on Saturday you will be surprised to hear that I am still at this place & still more surprised to hear that I am now in possession as the owner of it. I wrote for Robert to come down last Tuesday but I had a letter from him on that day to say that he could not come then, as George was out, that very same day Mr.Abbott had a letter from Mr.Bell of St.Asaph to say he would be here the next day without he had a letter to the contrary, so I was obliged to settle whether I would purchase the Estate or not and as I would not have had the chance of purchasing it on any account I agreed with Mr.Abbott for it. There are 270 acres of land, a good house & 3 cottages the whole of which I have purchased for £5,000 & the furniture & farming stock for £850 more, the £5,000 is to remain on mortgage for 7 or 16 years at 4 per cent & for the Furniture & Stock I am to give a Bill at 3 months so I am literally in possession here without paying one farthing. When I came her there was not a tree within a quarter of a mile of the place & I have been busy planting to get a little shelter which is required here, the House being built half way up the mountain or hill as the Welsh call it. The more I see of the place the more I like it & I think you would like it if you were to see it - perhaps you can manage to get away for a week or so, it is now what the Welsh call their 2nd Summer. It has been very fine the last week, but, before that, it was so wet that we could scarcely get out. There are 1,000 acres of Common Land on the mountain which will most likely be inclosed very shortly as Lord Cawdor one of the largest owners about here has given his consent. Should it be inclosed 150 or 200 acres would be added to this farm which would be of great value as the pasturage on the mountain is much more abundant then in the Hampshire Downs, Mr.Abbott will most likely be appointed Valuer now he has disposed of his estate; but I have my doubts whether there is not a clause in the Inclosure Act to prevent parties who have had property to which a Right of Common was attached from acting as Valuer, if such is the case of course he will not be appointed. Mr.Cole, Lord Cawdor's London Solr, wants an agent to act for him in this County & Mr.Abbott who is very intimate with him is going to mention my name to him. He has a great deal of business in the neighbourhood, in fact more than he can properly attend to. I have written to Mr.Debenham by this post to take out my Certificate & should I continue to like this Country as well as I do now I shall practice here if I can get anything to do. One great inducement for my purchasing was in consequence of my being satisfied that a brewery would answer well in this neighbourhood, the nearest being 16 miles from this. I have been over to Carmarthen to see the Brewery there & understanding it was a large concern, I was very much surprised to find a very poor Building indeed built of mud & wood. I understand they are doing a capital trade & that Llandilo [Llandeilo] is principally supplied by that Brewery. In this parish there are near 5,000 inhabitants, in Llangadoch [Llangadog] 2,500 & at Cwm Ammon 6 miles from here there are large iron & coal mines where a great number of men are employed who are paid good wages & drink enormously. The Welsh I am told are famous fellows to get drunk, there is an auctioneer near here who is selling stock nearly every day & the Farmers who attend make nothing of drinking 2 or 3 barrels of Beer, it gives them such a shambles for bidding so what with that & with 9 months…" [the letter ends here]
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