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THE HEARTH TAX IN CORNWALL – MICHAELMAS 1664
(Transcribed by J. Mosman, OPC, for the St. Austell History & Genealogy website)
It has been claimed that the Hearth and Poll taxes from 1662 to 1689 are the most important population sources for England between the Domesday book and the 1801 Census. Many counties have several lists available during those years which can be compared on the local level to make genealogical hypothesis and conclusions.
The “Hearth taxes” in Cornwall commenced in 1662, and continued to 1670. The returns for Lady’s Day, 1664, are not extant; our record is based on the Michaelmas return, 1664, which is largely intact for all of Cornwall. The lists were supposed to show the occupiers (not owners) of houses and the number of hearths in their house. They were to pay 2 shillings for each hearth, paid in two installments on Lady Day (25 th March) and Michaelmas (29 September). In the 1670’s, separate forms are found where the exempt poor could be listed separately.
The collector for each parish – the King’s man, not a local person - went with a constable to each property and inspected for the number of hearths, etc. The collector kept the official record, which was subsequently copied by many officials for various purposes – possibly an opening to error. This return shows, in the first column, the names of the holders, and the number of hearths for which they were taxed in 1662 in the second. Some of the holders were owners of property, while most are residents. The next column shows “ex” for “examinatur”, and also “ret” for “returned”. Lastly, there is a column showing differences, such as chimneys fallen down, or where the previous count of 1662 was in error, as well as changes in ownership/possession, where a hearth was no longer chargeable because of poverty, etc. People not subject to poor rates or Church tithes because of poverty were not subject to this tax, unless they had more than two hearths. In that case, they were chargeable despite poverty. Smelting ovens were also exempt, but commercial baking ovens were not.
Each return for a parish also included a section for hearths not mentioned in 1662; these were overlooked in that survey, or newly built dwellings after that date, and are so noted.
Please do allow for differences in spelling. For instance, Lawdry and Sawdry, common names in St. Austell, were very easily confused, since the “S” and “L” were written much the same. “Rickard” and “Richard” were also difficult to discern. Spelling was not yet standardized; the same person mentioned 3 times in a document might have their name spelled three ways. In addition, the collectors were not local persons, and therefore not acquainted with local names. Where two or more of the same names are shown, it might be caused by the fact that names were entered in random order, as the collector visited the dwellings. Or they might show a parent and child.
St. Blazey and Tywardreath, returns are on the following pages.
CORNWALL | HEARTH TAX | Michaelmas 1664 | . | . | . |
PARISH | Surname | Forename(s) | # hearths | Examnd | Document Notes - changes from 1662 tax rolls |
. | from 1662 tax rolls | from 1662 tax rolls | in 1662 | . | names in [..] are from 1662 returns |
St. Austell | ALLEN | Aliexander | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | ALLEN | John | 5 | ex | . |
St. Austell | BAND | William | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | BENHAM | William | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | BENNETT | John | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | BENNETT | Thomas | 1 | ex | poor not rated by reason of poverty. |
St. Austell | BLEIGH | Gilbert | 6 | ex | . |
St. Austell | BODY | Patience | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | BOVETT | John | 1 | ex | in Towne |
St. Austell | BOVETT | John | 2 | ex | of Carveth |
St. Austell | BURLACE | William | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | CAME | John & Ann | 4 | ex | . |
St. Austell | CARLION, gen | Henry | 9 | ex | . |
St. Austell | CARLYON | Tristram | 2 | ex | now Jn. CARLYON |
St. Austell | CARNE | Nicholas | 1 | ex | ret one short |
St. Austell | CARNE, gen | Thomas | 4 | ex | . |
St. Austell | CLEMENCE | Luke | 1 | ex | poor not rated by reason of poverty. |
St. Austell | CLEMENCE | Luke | 1 | . | no such person to be found |
St. Austell | CLEMENCE | Peter | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | CLEMENCE | Stephen | 2 | . | one fallen down |
St. Austell | COCKE | Thomas | 2 | ret | one too many by mistake |
St. Austell | COMBE | Richard | 1 | ex | poor not rated by reason of poverty. |
St. Austell | COMEN | Nicholas | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | CONGDON | John | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | COOMBE | Sampson | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | COSGAREN | Edward | 1 | ex | now Jn. COSGAREN |
St. Austell | COURTNEY | John | 2 | . | John ROBYNS owner |
St. Austell | CRAPP | John | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | CRAPP | Samson | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | DADDOE | John | 2 | . | of Boscoppow; not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | DADDOE | Stephen | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | DALLYN | John | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | DAVY | Jerom | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | DAVY | John | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | DAVY | William | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | DAVY sen & jr | John | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | ESTCOTT | Charles | 2 | ex | now Jerom DAVY |
St. Austell | FOSE | Francis | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | GILLIS | William | 2 | ex | now Wm. BICKEREN |
St. Austell | GITCHARD | William | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | GROWDON | Laurence | 6 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HAMBLY | Lewdy | 6 | . | one fallen down |
St. Austell | HANCOCK | John | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | HARPER | William | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HENDYE | Stephen | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HEXT | Samuel | 5 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HICKES | John | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HODGE | John | 5 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HODGE | John | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HODGE | Peter | 1 | ex | very poor not rated |
St. Austell | HODGE | Stephen | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HODGE | Thomas | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HOOPER | Julyan | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HUNNEY | John | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | HUNNEY | Lewdy | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | JACKE | Thomasine | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | JAKE | William & John | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | JULYAN | Richard | 2 | ret | one short |
St. Austell | KEMPE | Luke | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | KNIGHT | John | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | LANDRIDGE | Thomas | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | LAVEN | Martin | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | LAWRENCE | William | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | LEA, gen | William | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | LIGMAN | Mark | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | LILLICKE | John | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | LUKE | William | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | LUNEY | John | 1 | ex | poor not rated by reason of poverty. |
St. Austell | MARTEN | Laurence | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | MARTIN | Henry | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | MAY | Joseph | 3 | . | clerk; not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | MAY | Mrs. Katherine | 6 | ret | two short |
St. Austell | MENHERE | Eliz | 1 | ex | now Steph BENNETT |
St. Austell | MENHERE gen | Thomas | 5 | ex | . |
St. Austell | MOYLE gent | David | 14 | . | two fallen down |
St. Austell | NICHOLLS | John | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | OPPYE | Richard | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | PASCOE | George | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | PASCOE | Richard | 4 | ex | of Hay; but one of them in the occupation of a poor man not rated by reason of poverty |
St. Austell | PASCOE | William | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | PEARCE | Richard | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | PEARCE | William | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | PEARSE | John | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | PENHALE | John | 3 | . | one fallen down |
St. Austell | PENHALE | Nicholas | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | PINNER | Thomas & Robert | 4 | . | stopt up 2 & now Tho. TYNNER |
St. Austell | PURKEY | John | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | REYNOLD | Hugh | 1 | . | by reason of poverty by reason of poverty |
St. Austell | REYNOLD | Rose | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | RICHARD | Robert | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | RICHARD | Thomas | 2 | . | one fallen down |
St. Austell | RICHARDS | Philip | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | ROBERTS | Peter | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | ROBYNS | Francis | 3 | ex | the house void but |
St. Austell | ROBYNS | Peter | 2 | stopt up one | |
St. Austell | ROSCORLA jun | George | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | ROSCORLA, gen | George | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | ROSEVARE | John | 3 | ex | of Rescorla; now Edw. STADDEN has one & the other 2 occupied by poor persons but Jn Rosevare still owner |
St. Austell | ROSEVARE | William | 1 | ret | one short |
St. Austell | ROSEVEARE | John | 2 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | ROSEVEARE | John | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | ROSWARE | John | 4 | . | the house void & now Nich. COMON owner |
St. Austell | ROUSE | John | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | ROUSE | Thomas | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | ROWETT | William | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | ROWSE | Edward | 2 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | ROWSE | Henry | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | SAWLE, Esq | Oliver | 16 | ex | . |
St. Austell | SAWLE, Gent | Robert | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | SCHOLLIER | Ralph | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | SCOBLE | Frances | 6 | ex | now Rich. SCOBLE |
St. Austell | SLADE | Degory | 4 | ex | . |
St. Austell | STADDEN | Edward | 1 | . | no such person to be found |
St. Austell | STEPHENS | John | 4 | ex | . |
St. Austell | STEPHENS | Robert & Mrs. Mary | 2 | ret | one short |
St. Austell | THOMAS | Robert | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | THOMAS | Thomas | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | THOMAS | William | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | TIPPETT | Thomas | 3 | ex | . |
St. Austell | TONKYN | John | 4 | ex | .. |
St. Austell | TONKYN | John | 1 | ex | of Boyne [Boyrie] |
St. Austell | VIVYAN | Robert | 1 | . | for a justment in Carbeane; not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | VIVYAN | William | 2 | ex | . |
St. Austell | VIVYAN, gen | Josias | 6 | . | stopt up two |
St. Austell | WARRICK | Thomas | 1 | . | not mentioned in the former returns |
St. Austell | WILLIAMS | Fretherick | 1 | ex | . |
St. Austell | WOOLLOCKE | Mary | 2 | ex | [WOOLLCOCKE] |
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