Volume XXV: Datchworth Tithe Accounts, 1711 to 1747
This volume contains the edited tithe accounts of the mid-Hertfordshire parish of Datchworth, dating from 1711 to 1747, together with an introduction, commentary and appendices. Tithes and the sale of glebe produce were important sources of income for a parish priest, in this case, the Rev William Hawtayne, who was rector from 1709 until his death in 1747. For most of that time he kept an account book of his financial transactions which consisted mainly of tithe collection arranged by year (only 1726 and 1739 are missing). Tithes were paid both in kind and by composition agreement. The annual totals of tithe takings reveal both 'good' and 'bad' years affected sometimes by the demise of a high composition payer or possibly reflecting the price of wheat. In the later years of Hawtayne's life his son made a valiant effort to master the tithing system, adding some interesting memoranda of his own. In the early years Hawtayne took a personal interest in the farming of his 23 acres of glebe and noted his dealings at Hertford market. These demonstrate the crops that he grew and the fluctuating prices that he experienced when selling his produce. They also indicate the crop rotation system that was then customary in Datchworth. Being an almost continuous 37-year record, the accounts are a rich source of information. Not only local historians but also agricultural and ecclesiastical historians will find much of value about tithe collection and agricultural practices in mid-Hertfordshire in the first half of the eighteenth century. Genealogists will find many family names and details of land and property.
- Edited and with an Introduction by Jane Walker
- lvii + 129 pages, fully indexed
- 6 illustrations, 9 figures plus illustrated jacket
- ISBN 978-0-9547561-8-5
£6
(+£4 p&p )