The Hearth Tax Returns of 1662
IN 1662 a new form of tax was introduced in order to raise additional revenue, and it was devised in a form which related the amount to be paid to the size of house occupied, on the assumption that this in turn related to the means of the occupier. It was achieved by requiring the payment of Is. Od. by the householder for each hearth or fireplace in his dwelling, such payments being collected at six-monthly intervals. The first collection was made at Michaelmas 1662 and subsequently at Ladyday and Michaelmas in both 1663 and 1664, but owing to
the difficulty and expense of making the collections, the tax was then abandoned as being uneconomical.In 1662 lists of householders in all parishes were drawn up giving the numbers of hearths, and copies of these original returns were used as a basis for the subsequent collections on which the collectors made notes when necessary. If a householder was sufficiently poor he would get exemption, in which case he was described as a pauper, and the term `paup' appears against his name. Also, as might be expected, some householders took the precaution of bricking up unwanted fireplaces in order to evade the tax, and in these cases notes such as `2 stopt' or `walled up' appear. `Voyd' indicates that a house was unoccupied. The following is the assessment of Michaelmas 1664 for Bere Regis, with the collector's notes given in brackets:
HUNDRED OF BELIZE REGIS: Kings Tenants 24. Tho' Keate in Mr. Loopes house ij. George Harris in Phillip Buddens j. Richard Harris in Reynold Harris ij. Joshua Clench in the Widd' Rawlins j. Tho' Gillingham j. Eliz' Orchard widd' j. George Cribb in Mr. John Loopes house iiij. Agnes Coombes iij. John Vyne j. Richard Hapgood j. Mathew Cope widd' j. John Boles j. Abraham Okely in ye Widd' Rawlins j. Will'm Okely in Barthol' Holmers ij. Clement Barges j. Tho' Landon in John Batts house j.
BEERE REGIS TITHING 218 m0C'a0 175. John TllrberVlll ESCII' XOJ (4 SLOpi.) Giles Sampson iij. Robert Foy j. (Paup') Robert Foy ij. Mary Williams j. (Paup') Robert Foy iij. Adam Kingsbury iij. (no dist') John Ballanger j. (Paup') Robert Gibbs ij. Tho' Woolfreys iiij. Robert Bassett j. Joseph Crocker ij. Henry Crocker iiij. Bejamine Coakes j. John Gerard ij. Jane Foster j. Nichas' Vr'illiams iij. (1 stopt) Mr White iiij. Wm' Meereinge ij. Abraham Plucknett j. Jane Gould j. John Morgan ij.
Tho' Speare ij. Mary Genge j. Tho' Lucas ij. Dorothy Rutter iij. Henry Rutter j. (Paup') George Daw j. Tho' Woolfreys junr' iij. Wm' Speare j. Leonard Read ij. Wm' Burt iij. Elizabeth Fry iiij. John Homer ij. Lawrence Chubb v. Wm' Martyn ij. (Paup') John Saggar ij. Hen' Smedmore ii. Tho' Cole j. Leonard Bascombe j. John Williams j. Robte' Sexey iiij. Tho' Crumpcleere j. Christian Hawkes iiij. Andrew Warren j. John Thomas iij. John Plucknett j. Mary Creech j. Elizab' Lockeir j. (Paup') John Clench ij. (Paup') Wm' Candy j. Robte' Cleeves j. George Sexey vj. John Guy ij. Christian 1'lucknett iij. John Gerard j. Tho' Veake iij. John Dyett j. (decayd). David Guy j. (Paup'). Robte' Pope ij. Mr Lamb in the Vicaridge house vj. (voyde) John Guy (Wm. Cox deleted) viij. Wm' Bolter iij. Wm' Welch j. John Gould iij, Barthol' Holmer ij. Mrs Dewy j. Peter Phippard ij. Elizab' Bolt j. Maud Joyner v. John Stuckley j. Daniell Baker j. John Samwayes j. Richard Dawbeny j. Robert Keate j. John Lillington j. (Paup') John Gabriell j. Leonard Guy j. (Paup') John Vyncent j. (Paup') Martyn Lockeir j. (Paup') Francis Wilcox ij. Henry Cleeves j. Christian Wool-freys ij. Wm' Woolfreys j. Elinor Trottle j. (voyd) Phillip Danger j.
Eliz' Wilcox iij. John Clarke ij. Thomas Cooke j. Barthol' Holmer j. George Sergeant j. Mr. George Froome iiij. Joane Tilly ij. Peter Phippard j. Thomas Hardy j. Barthol' Veake ij. Mr, John Burley iiij. George Welsteed j. Mr. Andr' Samwayes iiij. James Meaden v.
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