July–December 1947

9 December 1947Dear Mr. Megaw,

In 1941 the local Greek Orthodox parish committee sold to Government, this expedition paying the cost, the plot of land outlined in the enclosed sketch within the boundary A-B-C-D-E-F-A, two sheets L.R.S. donums in extent, belonging to the large plot Nos. 62, L.R.S. sheet LVIII-4, belonging to the church of Ayios Ermogenios. The church committee and ourselves have now agreed in principle, subject within the points approval, to exchange the part of the plot situated for irrigation and in ABCF, which our trial pits found no monuments that should remain in view, for the area FGHIJE, which contains the important tomb 8 (A.J.A. 1946, pp.449ff.) and other monuments that we should prefer not to re-bury.

The area we should thus acquire for your Department is by about 2000 sq.ft. larger than that proposed to be returned to the church and contains a well litle used except at the time of the annual festival of Ayios Ermoyenios. We should pay of course for the difference in area of the plots exchanged, and for the well either an agreed sum or the cost of digging another well in land remaining the property of the church.

I assume that if this transaction is to be carried through it would first have to be approved by the L.R.S. Department of Antiquities; and I understand from the Department Office in Limassol that final registration of the transfer would be made on instructions from their Director - whether after an application by us or by the Commissioner of this District was not made clear.

If, as I hope, you approve, I shall look to be informed what steps are to be taken by us here besides coming to terms with the Church committee and standing ready to pay costs.

Yours sincerely,

Handwritten: signature