From John Higgins   15 March 1845

Alford

15th March 1845

Dear Sir,

I have obtained the offer of another Estate in this Neighbourhood; which I think very likely to suit you; and I enclose a Plan & Particular of it.1

The Estate consists of a small Farm House, but moderate out buildings; (for which a suitable reduction is made in the price) and about 325 Acres of Land of average quality, in the occupation of an industrious good Tenant.—

It is situate about 2 Miles from Claythorpe, where your Father has Property; 212 Miles from Alford (my residence) 11 Miles from Louth; and 11 Miles from Spilsby.—2 The Tithes are commuted at about 4s/3d Pr. acre; parochial charges are very moderate; and the Church has been lately nearly rebuilt; and the Money borrowed has been paid off.—

The Price will be about £12’500; and it will yield a steady clear Rental of 314 Pr cent, free from deductions.— Upon the whole, I consider it a good and safe Investment; and I think the price asked does not exceed the value; on the contrary I know a Person who will give that sum if it is declined by you.3

I am pressed for as early an answer as possible; and

1
There is a plan of an estate at Beesby, Lincolnshire (see nn. 2 and 3, below) in DAR 210.25. The plan is dated ‘March 1845’. For CD’s intention to invest in farmland and his earlier dealings with Higgins see letter to Susan Darwin, [27 November 1844?].
2
This location corresponds to that of the farm at Beesby CD subsequently purchased, see n. 3, below.
3
Robert Waring Darwin paid a deposit of £620 on 7 April 1845 for the purchase of the farm at Beesby (R. W. Darwin’s Investment Book (Down House MS), p. 74). The same amount and date are recorded by CD in his Investment Book (Down House MS).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-839,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-839