Lay Subsidy Rolls
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Lay subsidy rolls are taxation records. They tend to relate to
more prosperous households. The rolls are arranged by county, and then by
regions within the county, often referred to as wapentakes (or hundreds). The
subsidies include the hearth tax returns of 1662 to 1674.
The generally record a round of taxation often to fund a military
campaign. The tax was imposed on moveable property as well as land, based on
the reputed value of the estates of individuals. For example the rate at one
time was fixed as 4s for land and 2s 8d for goods. Clerical property and the
property of the poor was exempted. Tax was also sometimes referred to as
‘Tenths’ or ‘Fifteenths’. Lists were compiled by assessors of those who were
eligible to pay the tax.
Lay subsidies relate to taxation of the common people or laity.
There were also clerical subsidies.
The earlier documents are in Latin.
Between 1290-1334, the names of the people paying the tax, usually
the freeholder, were entered on a roll. The rate of the tax was given at the
head of the roll. The amount assessed depended on how much money the Crown
needed for various military campaigns in France, Scotland and Wales. Rolls were
arranged village by village and listed the names of the individuals responsible
to pay the tax.
From 1334 to about 1542, the total quotas were listed along with
place names; no individuals were recorded.
The Great Subsidy of 1524-5 lists all people over the age of 16
years with income from land or with taxable goods worth £2 per annum, or with
annual wages of £1 or more.
The lay subsidies cover the period 1332 to the seventeenth
century.
The lay subsidies can be helpful to place an individual in a
specific parish at a given time. There are instances where escaped the
assessment. There is evidence that some rolls appeared to contain only a
fraction of the population. They show relative wealth of individuals, and
crafts and trades.
Subsidy Rolls are held at The National
Archives, Kew (class E 179). Extant
items cover the time period for approximately 1154 to 1700 (or 1275 to 1665).
They are sub-divided into two series: Lay and Clerical. They might also be
found via county record offices.
For Farndales research we are mainly interested in the Yorkshire
Lay Subsidies. We are generally looking at the North Riding. Farndale lies in
the wapentake of Ryedale (sometimes Rydale). But
Farndales who had left Farndale the place, might be found in such places as the
Wapentakes of Langbaurgh or elsewhere.
We are particularly interested in the Lay Subsidy of 1301,
during the reign of Edward I.