There was an old house at Harrogate, with some fields belonging to it, and denominated a messuage, which was of more value, as having common right upon the Forest. It belonged to an old woman, and at her decease to her husband. Metcalf went to the latter, and bought his contingent right in the house and land; and the old woman came to him soon after, to sell her life-estate in it also. They agreed; and including both the net sum amounted to eighty pounds. In about three weeks after this purchase, he sold it for upwards of two hundred pounds. A road being projected between Harrogate and Harewood-Bridge, six miles in length, a meeting was held, (the late Lord Harewood, then Mr. Lascelles, being one of the party) to contract with any person who might be thought proper to make it. A great number of estimates were delivered, but Metcalf obtained the contract. It was to be completed before the winter set in; and being a stiff-clay soil, it was judged expedient to cast the whole length before they began to stone it: on these accounts he agreed with the gentlemen, that no carriages should pass whilst the road was making; and, by way of prevention, had sluices cut at each end of the lane, and wooden bridges, which he took up occasionally, thrown across, for his own carriages to pass over with the materials. He also hired two houses, at a distance from each other on the road, to entertain strangers who travelled on horseback, and the people employed in the undertaking, as there were not sufficient in the country. The short period he had contracted to complete the work in, obliging him to use the readiest methods, he had a wheel-plough drawn by nine horses through the forest, as the best and most expeditious way to get up the roots of whin and ling, in parts where they were strong; and being obliged to superintend the progress of the work, he obtained leave from the innkeepers at Harrogate to engage a substitute in his absence. He completed his contract in the time allowed, to the satisfaction of the gentlemen trustees, and of the surveyor; and received for the work, twelve hundred pounds. There then being about a mile and an half of road to be made through part of Chapel-Town to Leeds, Lord Harewood and other gentlemen met at the Bowling-Green in Chapel-Town, to receive estimates;—and Metcalf got the contract. He also widened the arch of Sheepscar-Bridge; and received for that and the road together near four hundred pounds. Between Skipton and Colne in Lancashire there were four miles of road to be made, and estimates were advertised for. A number of gentlemen met, and Metcalf’s proposals had the preference. The materials were at a greater distance, and more difficult to be procured, than he expected; and a wet season coming on, made this a bad bargain; yet he completed it according to contract. He next engaged for two miles on the Burnleigh road, which he completed; but was not more a gainer.