History - Taxation Records

PRO E179/237/53 Subsidy Roll 47 Edward III (1373)
These were wealth taxes charged at a rate of 1/15

Sutton Lathe, Akstan Hundred (extract)
(all those from one parish seem to be grouped together although it doesn't say this in the document)

From
the Manor of Fawkham 10s
William Kirkeby 10s
John Asbetyn 2s
John Cylkyndenn 3s 6d
Thomas Baker 18½d
Ralph [Kot]ele? 4s
Edward Sparwe 18½d
John Maykyn 2s
John Pour 18d
John Mawer 8s
Archdeacon of Rochester 40d
William Pour 3s
Thomas Mellar 12½d
John Kotel 18d
John Overay 3s
William Pour junior 2s 4½d
Manor of Hertleye 13s 4d
John Northassh 3s
William [..]urch (Church?) 3s
Richard Halyday 5s
William Clerk 4[...]
Robert Crabbe 3[...]
Warin Walton (Dalton) [5..]
Thomas Smeth 2s
Robert atte Hacch 3s

Total 106s 6½d

PRO E179 123/37 (Poll Tax 1377)

The 1377 poll tax was the first of its kind in England and the most successful in terms of revenue. It was repeated in 1379 and 1381, but abandoned after the widespread rioting that it caused in Kent and Essex. Its leader Wat Tyler is claimed by both Dartford and Maidstone.

As the preamble says, the 4d (about 1½p) tax was paid by every man or woman over the age of 14 - a total of 53 in the case of Hartley. It is estimated that to get a rough idea of population you need to add about 40% for children and 40% for evasion. This would give a population in Hartley of 80-100. Unfortunately the lists of names of taxpayers survive in few areas, and this area was not one of them.

Receipts of the Poll Tax 1377

Hartley - This indenture witnesseth that Richard atte Lese and his colleagues, collectors of 4d from each sane person, man and woman, of the age of 14 years and above, granted to the lord king.... in the county of Kent. Have received from Robert Jasper, constable of Hertley, Warin Dalton and Robert Baker, leading men of the same vill, 17s 8d for 53 people. In witness whereof the seal of the parties present has alternately been appended. Given there the 10th day of May in the said year (51 Edward III).

Fawkham

Longfield

Asshe

PRO E179 120/59

This is a list of tax payers for Hartley, Fawkham and Ash in 1380. Generally only the more substantial people were assessed for this tax on wealth. So of the 53 listed for the poll tax only 3 years previously, only 15 were assessed this time.

John Faver, William Dalton, and Robert Crabbe all appear in the 1392 survey of the manor. We can assume that at least some of the Daltons lived at what is now called Hartley Manor (Manor Drive), which was called "Daltons" until 1726. Robert at Hay no doubt lived at Woodins in Church Road, which we know was called "Hayes" by the c15th.

The other parishes contain names of families who would one day own land in Hartley eg. the Overeys at Fawkham and the Launces at Ash.

For those not old enough to remember pre-decimal currency there were 12 old pence in a shilling (5p) and 20 shillings in a pound. So the tax paid here ranged from 3p to 25p for Hartley. The purchasing power of money was of course very different then. 4d (1p) was the average daily wage of a farm labourer, while a skilled labourer might get 6d per day (2½p). The main foodstuff, wheat, cost 25-30p per bushel (about 60 lb or 27kg in weight).

The tax was levied at 1/15 of the assessed value of moveable personal goods.

Subsidy Roll (15th and 10th) 3 Richard II (1379/80)

Hundred of Axstan
In the parish of Hertlegh

From:
The Manor of Hertelegh 18s 7d
Warin Dalton 6s
Thomas Smyesth' 12d
Robert atte Hay 18d
William Box 18d
John Faver 3s
William Dalton 5s
John Northassch 2s
William Clerk 2s 8d
Robert Crabbe 4s
Roger Vessy 2s
John Tholl 18d
Geoffrey Clerk 6¼d
Henry Simme (?) 18d
Richard Halyday 5s

Total 55s 9¼d

Faukham

William Brien 15s 8d
William Kirkeby 15s 8d
Idon' Grovers 2s 2d
John Bere 4d
Clement Fynyan 3s 4d
John Ingery 4d
Thomas Sayx 12d
Robert Thomalyn 7s
Robert Leylord 4d
John Carles 2s
Thomas Baker 4s 2d
John Ilkynden 2s 1d
Richard Fyret 3s 2d
Ralph Kytel 6s 1d
John Pour 12d
John Sparwe 12d
John Meykyn 2s
Archibald de Langfeld 10s
John Miller 5s
John Overey 5s
William Muchelord 5s
John Pone 5s
William Partrich 5s 1½d
William Rour 5s
Robert Heliday 5s

Total 102s 6½d

[Ash?]

Manor of Esshe 43s
William Topclone 24s
William Southesshe 10s
Thomas Clement 8s 6d
Roger Frannceys 2s
Robert Meller 3s 6d
John Mellere 6s
Henry Mellere 5s
Thomas Redhicton 3s 4d
Thomas Hewe 2s 6d
Thomas Adam 2s
John Hewe 16d
Roger Michel 5s
Henry Hodesole 2s
William Wiltok 18d
Thomas (?) Wotte 2s 2d
John Wotte 3s
Martin Ballard 5s 8d
John Carles 4s
Mabel Martyns 18d
Peter Jasper 2s 6d
Richard John Godchop 16d
John Hodsole 8s
William Bere 2s
Robert Jasper 8s 6d
Richard Shiede 2s 6d
Clement Wodeman 3s 4d
Walter Seohfeld 3s 4d
John atte Hacche 18d
Roger Earel 2s
Stephen Banstede 2s
John Smyth 3s
Richard Launce 18s
Richard Romayn 18d
Richard Hodsole 21¼d

Total £8 7s 3¾d

PRO E179/123/48 (Undated subsidy roll, but likely to be about 1385) (Extract)
William Dalton junior is the only name here not on the subsidy roll of 1379/80 above, therefore it is likely to be a little but not much later.

From:
William Dalton 4s
Warin Dalton 3s
Manor of Hertleye 10s
Robert Crabbe 2s
John Fauer 3s
William Dalton junior 2s 6d
Roger Beysey 2s 6d