Llangattock Lingoed Genealogy: Taxation Records

Taxation Records

Wales was only brought into the state taxation system with the Act of Union of 1536. Taxation of individuals was technically an extraordinary event, with each tax being levied separately to provide additional income for particular circumstances (a subsidy). Documents are available covering collections of tax in 1555-57, 1563-65, 1566-68, 1571-73, 1597-98, 1621-25, 1628-29 and 1661-63. Unfortunately, many of them are in poor condition and very difficult to read; at present only one has been transcribed for these pages.

Taxation List 1557
On 5 November 1555 Parliament granted a subsidy over two years, payable by 1 March 1556 and 10 March 1557. There was a sliding scale of charges on moveable goods, i.e. (for native persons): £5 - £10 = 8d.; £10 - £20 = 12d.; £20 and more = 16d. On lands there was a minimum threshold of 20s. per annum, on which the tax payable was 2s. per pound. The surviving assessment for Abergavenny hundred, Monmouthshire is undated, but was received by the Exchequer in 1558 or earlier and is explicitly for a second collection of a subsidy. Llangattock Lingoed is included with Llanfihangel Crucorney. (E179/1/148/7)

FULL TRANSCRIPTION OF THE TAXATION LIST 1557.

The Hearth Tax 1662 - 1689
The Hearth Tax was introduced by the government of Charles II in 1662 and was repealed by William and Mary in 1689. Under it, each liable householder was to pay one shilling for each fire, hearth and stove within their property at each of the twice-yearly collections, Michaelmas - 29 September - and Lady Day - 25 March. Liable householders were those whose house was worth more than 20s. a year and who contributed to local church and poor rates. However, lists of those exempt are sometimes given. The surviving records are mainly for times when the tax was administered by royal officials, usually the petty constables; on other occasions it was farmed out. The main return for Monmouthshire cannot be precisely dated: it could relate to any one of the years 1663, 1664, 1669 or 1672.

FULL TRANSCRITION OF THE HEARTH TAX 1663 - 1672.

 


Last updated October 2006