|
Window
Tax

This tax was introduced
in 1696 as a replacement for the Hearth Tax and was often levied
with the House Tax. It was repealed in 1851 when it was replaced
by House Duty. The tax was worked out from a scale of bands based
on the number of windows in the house. In 1696 all house were charged
at 2s, properties with 10-20 windows paid 4s and those with more
than 20 windows paid 8s. In 1747 the charges were: 10-14 windows
at 6d per window, 15-19 windows at 9d, and 20 or more windows at
1s. By 1825 houses with less than 8 windows became exempt. The taxpayer
was usually the occupier rather than the owner and they often attempted
to camouflage or block up the windows to avoid payment. The number
of windows is not normally stated in the return.
Staffordshire
Record Office holds returns for the
Cuttlestone
Hundred in 1711,
Brewood 1801-1806,
Fradswell 1785-1787,
Leek Frith 1704,
Patshull 1738-1759,
and Stowe c. 1750.

|