Tithes in Alstonefield Parish - August 29th 1744
D2375M/282/8/4/2
This document explains how much tithes the vicars were entitled to. Originally tithes were made in kind, in 1744 there was a mix of money and kind. The tithes at this time fall into different headings. Also at this time, they have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with tenths of anything, they were an established fiscal amount and reflected the age, status and production of the inhabitants. (In early times they represented a tenth of the yearly production of cultivation.) The tithes were taken at different times namely Easter, Martlemas, Michaelmas, churching of women, marriage (banns or licence) and burial.
(Martlemas or Martinmas is November 11th and Michaelmas, sometimes known as Goose Day, is a quarter day celebrated on 29th September.)
The amounts paid by the inhabitants of Hollinsclough were:
House dues (actual description)
Every house to pay 3d at Easter.
Offerings (actual description)
Every person in the parish above the age of sixteen to pay 2d except servant maids who pay 1d
Tithe by trade
Every handicraft or tradesman pays 2d.
Livestock and Hay
Every mare and foal – 2d
Every stall of bees – 2d
Every house to pay 1d where they keep hens or ducks
Tithe pigs and geese are paid in kind
Every cow & calf 2d & every barren cow 1d
Every acre of hay 1d
Every farmer to pay 3s 4d
Tithe calves where they reach the custom of the parish which is to pay half one at five & one at six without allowance & if fourteen but one due & no allowance
Geese to be tithed at Michaelmas
Pigs tithed at I month old
Calves tithed and taken on Tuesday after Martlemas without any allowance for the keeping of the same.
Churching
For every woman churched, vicars dues are 6d
Marriage, Banns & Burials
For every marriage by Banns 1s 4d
Every burial 8d
Every marriage by licence 5s 0d
Clerks Wages
These are paid by the parish
Every farm house 4d
Every cottage 2d
Every churching 4d
Every marriage by Banns 6d
Every marriage by licence 1s 0d
Every burial 3d
Document Extract
An account of the Easter offerings and tyths belonging to the Vicarage
Written by Peter Parr, Vicar
(At the beginning of this document there is an account of the building and lands belonging to the Vicarage at Alstonefield.)
Every house at Easter payes three pence, call’d House dues. Every person in the Parish above the age of sixteen pays two pence, called offerings, except Servant Maids who pay one penny. Every Handicraft or Tradesman pays two pence. Every Mare & foal two pence. Every stall of bees two pence. For Longnor old Mill every Easter four shillings and the new mill one shilling & eight pence – tyth. Eggs are paid in kind below Archford Bridge & above Archford Bridge every house pays one penny where they keep hens or ducks in lieu thereof. Tyth pigs & geese are paid in kind through the Parish. For every cow & calf two pence & every barren cow one penny. For every acre of hay below bridge six pence & above bridge in lieu thereof every house one penny except in Warslow where they pay three pound hay money. Every farmer paying three shillings & four pence which comes from the said farm. Gatham Grange pays six shillings eight pence in lieu of all tyths – all that part of the Parish above bridge pays tyth calves where they reach the number of the custom of the Parish which custom is to pay half one at five and one at six without allowance & if fourteen but one due & no allowance. Geese are to be tyth’d at Michaelmas – pigs at one month old & calves are to be tyth’d and taken on Tuesday after Martlemas? (def not, Michaelmas or Martenmas) without any allowance for the keeping of the same till that time. For every Woman that is Church’d the Vicar dues are sixpence. Every Marriage by Banns one shilling & four pence and for every burial eight pence and for every marriage by license five shillings. The Clerks wages are paid by the Parish viz – Every farm house four pence. Every cottage two pence – at every churching four pence – every marriage by Banns
six pence and by license one shilling every burial three pence and Narrow dale in lieu of tyth hay one pound five shillings.
Peter Parr Vicar.
Thos Milward}
Tho Johnson} Churchwardens
John Fynney
Tithes claimed by the Vicar of Alstonefield
Hay in kind throughout the Parish except in Alstonefield where of 6d per acre is claimed, except in Narrowdale where tithe hay in kind is claimed.
Calves in kind, above Archford bridge, but none below bridge
Geese and Pigs throughout the whole Parish
Corn Mills
Agistment tithes
Eggs in kind at Alstonefield, but above bridge every house pays 1d where hens or ducks are.
Mare & foal 2d Stall of Bees 2d Every house 3d Cow & calf 2d Barren cow 1d
Gateham Grange pays 6s 8d in lieu of all tithes
Every handicraft or Tradesman pays 2d
Every person above 16 pays 2d except Servant maids who pay 1d
The Clerk at Alstonefield has for every farm house in the Parish 4d for every cottage 2d
Other claims of the Vicar of Alstonefield
House Garden Stables & Church Yard
4 acres of Glebe
Note in margin says; Below Bridge means Alstonefield
On the back page of this document is a scrappy note, hastily written, probably by a Harpur and then crossed out. As far as I can tell it says;
Dear Sir
Alstonefield Inclosure
I’m about to apply to Parliament for a Bill to inclose the waste lands in the Parish of Alstonefield.
……………………………………. to the tythes of corn & grain the vicar it seems is entitled to.
He then refers to a “Copy of an old terrier “ which is “a statement of the tythes claimed by the vicar drawn out by him”