Wednesday 3 August 2011

Hearth-money Rolls for Lisbourne Parish and Towne, 1669.


SOME EXTRACTS

FROM THE
RECORDS OF
OLD LISBURN
AND THE
MANOR OF KILLULTAGH.

-- -- -- --
Edited by JAMES CARSON.
-- -- -- --

XLII.

-- -- -- --


HEARTH-MONEY.

(From Encyclopedia Britannica.)

Hearth-money, hearth tax, or chimney-money was a tax imposed on all houses except cottages at a rate of two shillings for every hearth. It was first levied in 1602, but owing to its unpopularity, chiefly caused by the domiciliary visits of the collectors, it was repealed in 1689. The principle of the tax was not new in the history of taxation, for in Anglo-Saxon times the King derived a part of his revenue from a "fumage" or tax of smoke farthings levied on all hearths except those of the poor. It appears also in the hearth-penny; or tax of a penny on every hearth, which as early as the 10th century was paid annually to the Pope, and became popularly known as "Peter's pence."

Belmore's "Two Ulster Manors."

Extract.

An Act of Parliament, Charles II., 1662 -- Imposes a tax of 2s each on every hearth and other place used for firing and stoves within every dwelling and other house and edifice that are or hereafter shall be erected within this Kingdom of Ireland other than such as are in this Act hereinafter excepted. Persons living on alms exempted, and all houses certified by two justices to be not of greater value than 8s upon the full improved rent, and that the persons occupying the same do not have, use, or occupy any lands, or tenements of the value of 8s per acre, or have any lands, tenements, goods, or chattels of the value of £4 in their own possession, or held in trust for them.

Houses having no fixed hearth, with chimneys, chargeable with two hearths.

Hearth-Money Rolls.

1669

The original lists or rolls for County Antrim are in the Record Office, Dublin. A copy is in the possession of the Presbyterian Historical Society, Belfast. From this copy J. W. Kernohan, M.A., extracted the names relating to Lisburn Parish and Town, as here given. Where a number follows a name it indicates the number of hearths, stoves, ovens, &c., taxed. In all other cases there was one hearth only. These rolls are obviously an index to the social status of the inhabitants of the period, the number of hearths taxed indicating the social position or wealth of the individual, Sir George Rawdon heading the list with 39.

It is rather curious that Sir George Rawdon's name appears as occupying the Castle, Lisburn, and not the name of Baron Conway, as there can be no other means of accounting for the 39 hearths than locating them in Baron Conway's Castle, in the Castle Gardens. Sir George Rawdon was the ancestor of the Earls of Moira. He married in 1654 as his second wife Dorothy Conway, sister of the second Viscount Conway. We find Rawdon in 1654 building a house in Lisburn, and this is possibly the house that appears against his name for 3 hearths. He died in 1634, and was buried in Lisburn.

The third Viscount Conway succeeded to the estate in 1665, and died in 1683. He built the Castle at Portmore, on the shores of Lough Neagh, in 1664. It was pulled down in 1761. This was his favourite residence, and was much more splendid and extensive than the Castle at Lisburn. His Lordship spared neither time nor expense in adorning and beautifying it, and the grounds were stocked with ail kinds of rare animals, birds, trees, and shrubs. Sir George Rawdon may therefore have been temporarily in occupation of Lisburn Castle in 1669, thus accounting for his name appearing in the Hearth-money rolls for that year. Indeed, it would appear that after Portmore Castle was built the Lisburn Castle was neglected, and rarely, if at all, occupied by Viscount Conway. We find from "Bonnivert's Journey, 1690," that in that year Lady Mulgrave was in occupation. "There is a great house and good gardens at Lisburn belonging now to my Lady Mulgrave. The house is out of repair." "Bonnivert's Journey," is given in the Ulster Journal of Archæology, vol. 4, 1856. He was a French refugee who followed the fortunes of William III.

It is noticeable, and rather unusual, compared with other districts, the large number of names appearing in the Parish of Lisburn as paying tax on more than one hearth. The inference, of course, is that in 1669 the town of Lisburn, although small, must have had within its bounds a number of people of comparative wealth, and in the immediate neighbourhood, comprising the parish, there must have been, a considerable population in comfortable circumstances. Story, a chaplain in Duke Schomberg's army, writes of it twenty years later, in 1689:-- "One of the prettiest inland towns in the North of Ireland, and one of the most English-like places in the Kingdom."

Unfortunately, the names in the Hearth-money rolls for 1669 are given as a whole fOR "Lisbourne Parish and Towne," no differentiation being made as between the town and country, nor are the names of the townlands included in the parish stated. The parishes of Lisnagarvagh and Blaris were united about the year 1641, the combined parishes forming what is now known as the Parish of Lisburn. This amalgamation causes some uncertainty as to what townlands were included in the 1669 rolls, as up to the present time frequently the two parishes are treated as if they were still distinct.

Referring to a return published by the "Standard" Office, Lisburn, some years ago, of the electoral divisions of the Lisburn Union, it would appear that Lisnagarvey, Old Warren, Tonagh, Knockmore, and part of Lambeg South are described as being in the Parish of Blaris or Lisburn; Ballymullen, Largymore, Broughmore, Gortnacor, Lurganure, Lissue, Blaris, Ballantine, Deneight, Lisnatrunk, Lisnoe, Taghnabrick, Annacloy, Aghnatrisk, Ballykeel-Ednagonnell, Culcavey, Carnbane, Carnreagh, Drumatihugh, Maze, Magherageery, and Ravarnette, or portions of them, in the Parish of Blaris; Magheralave in the Parish of Derriaghy.

On a map of the Hertford Estate dated 1833 the Parish of Lisburn is described as containing the townlands of Broughmore, Lurganure, Lissue, Knockmore, Tonagh, Old Warren, Blaris, Ballentine, Taghnabrick, Largymore, Ballymullen, and Lisnagarvagh, all being included in the Hertford property and in the vicinity of the town. It is a fairly reasonable assumption that these, are the townlands included in the Hearth-money rolls for the Parish and Town of Lisburn for 1669.

Hearth-money Rolls for Lisbourne Parish and Towne, 1669.

A
David Adams Wid Amas 2
Tho Aldrige John Anderson
John Abernathy Alex Arte
Robt Achison 3 Edward Atkins
Adam Andersone John Armstrong

B
James Browne Docter Brooks
David Barber Alex Bann
George Barber Ffrancis Burich
John Backster Thomas Branket
James Bodkin Mr. Broadhead
Wid Bleare Robert Barrel
Thos Badleir Wm Browne
David Bingham Robert Bell
Widd Burton 2 John Barns
Wm Bell Thos Bridges

C
Wm Cherry Mr. Cooper 3
Widd Close 5 Derby Coody
Arch Curry James Chisdell
Thomas Curran Wid Costly
John Caunell Wid Clidseell
Autho Coslett 4 Phill Caine
Chris Coale Richard Coulson
Marke Coale Geo Cludrye
James Chaplin Wm. Connoway
Henry Covert John Chapman
Murt Cofforee James Coale 2

D
John Dick 2 Wm Docker
Ffrancis Dicksone Wid Deale 3
Mr. Davis 3 Josias Dawson
Owin Davis Geo Doniss
Wm Duffe 2 Henry Dexter
Tho Denman Robert Dobson 2
Wid Dowdell 3

E
Mr. Ellis 4 Richard Edmonston
Richard Edmonston Thos Emersone

F
Tho Fflann 2 Tymothy Ffletcher
Thomas Ffarly 2 Edward Ffoster
Wm Ffulsbourne 2 Edward Ffisackerty
Clem Ffibbs Mathew Ffearne 3
John Ffountaine 2 Lantell Ffell

G
Wid Giffins 2 Wm Goff
Henry Godard 2 Geo Gregstone 3
Jonn Gregstone Patrick Goffe
Robert Gorden 3 James Gorden 2
Nicholas Giviging Ffrancis Garner 2
Thomas Granger Jerene Gresson
Thomas Granger Patrick Gill
Thomas Galcill

H
Wm. Higinson Richard Hignat
Tho Haslam 2 Tho Hodskinson 2
John Hart 3 Thomas Hodskinson
Robert Hoberstaffe Robert Hamelton
John Hameltone Robert Hendron
Wm Higsson, jr. Henry Haythorne 2
Wm Hill 8 Arthur Hoole 2
John Heyes Tho Hayes
Ffrancis Hartly James Hunter
Wm Heare Edward Hall
David Hunter 2 Chr Harrison 2
John Hodgin 2 Robt Hoole
Wm Hancock Henry Horner
Edward Hull John Hodgsone
James Holles 2 Widd Hollon
Tho Hadskes 3 John Hilsbee

J
Robert Jentleman Widd Johnston 2
Nicho Jacksonne 2 John Johnstone
Roger Jackson 8 Wid Johnston
Mathew Johnston Anthony Johnson
Hugh Joanes

K
Law Kenly Richard Kinge
Henry Kirby 2 Geo Kilburne
John Kennedy Robert Knox
John Kirke

L
Geo Locker 2 Mr. Levistone
John Lydell Nicholas Lawrence 2
Robert Linsey John Landel
Thos Little 2 Adam Leathes 2
Anth Leroy 4 Robert Lucas
Andr Linsey George Lorymore
Antho Lightfoote Robert Leacocke
John Lackey

M
Patrick Magee 2 Wid Moore 2
Wm Morrow 2 Mr. Mase 6
Mary Murrow James Miller
Edward Moore Ffarrell Magee
Edmund Magee Wm Morecraft
Wm Moore Robert Mearns

Mc.
Murt McAunel Shane McSherry
Brian McMahon Brian McBrinn
John McCullagh John McDowell 2
John McFfadin Neale McAncale
David McAllexander Henry McCamby 2
John McAnally

N
John Nicksone 4 Henry Nickolsone 3
Wid Nicklesone

O
Hugh O'Kelly 3 Daniel O'Dougherty
Edward Odger 2 Capt Obrey 3
Wid Oges John O'Tewel
Dainel O'Rogan Shane O'Sherridan
Shane O'Logan Daniell O'Delan

P
Robert Porter 2 Wid Porter
Richard Pooley Morris Pruderick
Richard Plunkett Daniell Patisone 2
Mathew Parman George Preston
Robert Pybus

Q
Wid Qale

R
Sir George Rawden 39 Sir Geo Rawden 3
John Robinson Robert Rogerson 2
Robert Hanson 2 And Reach
Samuel Roberts Geo Redall
Thomas Redall John Right
Mrs. Rona 2 Ffrancis Russell
Geo Rogers 5 Thos Rigsive
John Robinson 2 Mr Ramsey
Chr Renisone

S
John Speete 2 Adam Scott
Mr. Smith 3 Wm Swift
Tho Saffley Wm Steevens 3
Robert Sumerside John Scott
Wm Sympson Antho Smith 2
Widd Steenson 2 James Smith
School House Richard Swinerton
Daniel Stoker Major Stround 5
John Steephens Wm Shakeshaft
John Steward And Steward
Robert Steward James Stalker 5
Mrs. Sinklear Robert Stewart
Allex Smithsone Richard Ard Sands
Wm Sands Humphrey Sherlick
Thomas Smith John Smith
Tho Sayston Thomas ye Sadler

T
Ann Taylor 2 Wm Thomas 3
Wid Taylor James Tyle
Ffruncis Thomsone Thomas Tomson
Richard Tomson Wilfec Townsend 2
Jo Templeton 3 Mrs. Tandey 6
Thomas Taylor Thos Taylor
George Tomson Quinton Todd
Edward Townsend John Tugman
George Townsend John Twynem

U
Edward Upton Joseph Underwood

W
Hugh Williams Henry Williams 2
Robert Wilson Thomas Willox
Henry Wellin 3 Geo Wimble 5
Thos Williamson Wid Wilsone
Tho Whitly 2 Mr. Webster 3
Lawrence Whiteside 2 Robert Williams
John Wills 2 John Williamson 2
John Watson 2 Henry Wetherbee 2
John Williams Anthony Wrightson
Wm Wright Robt Welsh
Phill Woods Ralph White
Hugh Wixted John Watsone
Thomas Watsone Hugh Wuthnall 2
Tho Watsone

Y
Andrew Younge 2 Alex Young
Robert Younge


(Hillsborough next week.)


(This article was originally published in the Lisburn Standard on 3 August 1917 as part of a series which ran in that paper each week through 1917. The text along with other extracts can be found on my website Eddies Extracts.)



No comments:

Post a Comment