TALBOT2249

Chippenham ¹
12^h Nov 1831

Dear Sir,

On considering the subject of your Letter relative to Banks’ ² Bill for the new work at the Abbey, I suggested to Mr Strong ³ that it would be desirable to examine the two last Bills of Banks for work on the Estates in order to see whether he had charged his own time in both places – this has been done minutely & as far as that examination goes it is in Bank’s favor – as in only three instances his own time is charged for Work on the Estates & in those periods of his Bill for the Abbey work, his full time is not charged – on the value of the latter work I confess myself totally ignorant, being of a nature with which I have had no experience at any time of my Life – but Strong says that he thinks the Bill too high, after allowing for the extra time necessarily required for ornamental work – & I therefore hope for his own sake, that he will make a deduction from the amount – & I have sent Banks a message to that effect –

I am Dear Sir Y^r much obliged Ser^t
W. H. Awdry

W. H. F. Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey