North or South?

Apparently the North Harris Estate was sold in 1867 to Sir Ernest Scott for £155,000.
At least that's what I once wrote but I'm having serious second thoughts. For a start, I cannot locate the origin of that figure and can only discover vague references to the sale being partly in payment for a debt that the 7th Earl had with his bankers. If that weren't bad enough, I have now discovered that the South Harris Estate was advertised for sale in 1876 for...£155,000. It may be coincidence or, equally, it may be that the figure quoted for the sale of the North Harris Estate in '67 was actually the price asked for the South Harris Estate in '76.

I don't know but, putting aside my earlier error for a moment, what is significant about this second sale is that it never took place. Only three years earlier, in 1873, the restoration of St Clement's Church had been completed so why the 35 year-old Earl was wanting to dispose of his remaining estate at this particular time is unknown as are the reasons for it failing to be sold.

I will discuss the description of the Estate later but meanwhile must apologise for suggesting that the North Harris Estate had been acquired for £155,000, although I must have obtained that figure from somewhere...