Story No: 29 The Cumberland Hearth Tax

This scruffy image is a copy of a page from the register of the Cumberland Hearth Tax that was levied from 1662 to 1689. The probable date is 1664, the only year to have survived in the County.
The number of hearths in the house was an indication the size of each house and therefore the wealth of the occupants. Those in receipt of Poor Relief, or houses worth less than 20/- per annum, were exempt.
Each page in the book is divided into two columns, and where other areas can cover several pages, the entry for Alston is contained in only one column. (The other column on the page is the first set of entries for Castle Sowerby).
Unfortunately the Alston page is torn off half way down so that only nine entries can be read clearly.
Translated, it reads:
Alston moore in Leathward
(No. of Hearths) (Tax in shillings)
Willm Richardson 5 10
Raph Whitfeild 2 4
John Whitfeild 1 2
Mary Teasdill 1 2
Nicho Whitfeild 4 8
John Laton 2 4
Chr Ridley 1 2
Tho Backhouse 3 6
Nicho Ridley 3 6
Nicho (Walton?) - -