OR2304/6

Letter (two sheets) from Andrew Rouse Boughton – Knight, Downton Castle, Ludlow. to Frederica at Canon Frome Vicarage, Ledbury advising sale of Hinwick estate.

10 February 1896.

From: 1896 To: 1896

‘Rouse could never hope in his lifetime to pay off a sufficient portion of the mortgage to enable him to live comfortably in the big house, keep up the estate properly and take the position in the county that an estate of Hinwick size should enable him to do! Unable to pay regularly the mortgage interest on Hinwick Hall. a stricter company such as Edinburgh Insurance Company would find him in difficulty suggests sell Hinwick House estate, pay off mortgage, reinvest rest at 3½-4%, so still would be able to keep Hinwick Hall Estate. ‘His eagerness to keep the whole estate, when he cannot do justice to it, or benefit himself by holding it seems to me to be a complete farce”, ditto, his idea of pulling “the property through” in time. Sell at circa £63,000. Hinwick soil being ‘very much a bad make of clay”, likely to depreciate in value, may become as valueless as the land in Essex. Advises reference loss of transfer of mortgage (£1000) Mentions interest of ½% or £215 on £43,000 “estate already overburdened with mortgage debt”. Trustees should press Rouse to keep up mortgage payments on Hinwick Hall Richard and Frederica should first have their money; if insufficient to live on writer will contribute annually.

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Rouse-Boughton-Knight, Andrew,
Orlebar, Frederica St.John,
Orlebar, Rouse,
Edinburgh Insurance Company,
Orlebar, Richard

Downton Castle, Ledbury, ESTATES (LANDED), Hinwick House, sale particulars, Hinwick Hall, mortgages, family/personal financial affairs