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1660s
Hearth Money Rolls
The
Hearth Tax was introduced to Ireland in 1662. Arranged
by county, parish and, usually, townland, the Hearth
Money Rolls list the names of householders who were
liable to pay tax at the rate of two shillings on
every hearth or fireplace they had. Some people were
exempt* from the tax and, of course, others managed
to evade paying it. This means that the lists are
not a complete record of householders in a townland.
The tax was collected over areas known as "Walks"
which were based on towns. For example, the "Dunluce
Walk" in County Antrim was centred on the town
of Dunluce which was just outside the castle. It covered
the baronies of Cary, Dunluce and Kilconway in North
Antrim as well as the baronies of Coleraine and North
East Liberties in County Londonderry.
The
original Hearth Money Rolls were destroyed by fire
in the Four Courts, Dublin in 1922. However, the Presbyterian
Historical Society of Ireland had made copies of the
Rolls and these were lent to PRONI in the mid-1920s
for copying. I have used the PRONI type-written copies
to compile the Hearth Money databases for Co. Londonderry
and North and Mid Antrim. Remember then that these
databases are a transcription of a transcription of
a transcription of an original source. This clearly
must have implications for the spelling of both personal
names and townland names in the database. Click
here to see a copy of a page from PRONI: T307
relating to the Parish of Artrea in the Barony of
Loughinsholin, Co. Derry and a page from the Parish
of Ballymoney in the Barony of Dunluce Upper in Co.
Antrim. If
you have not already done so you should read the paper
on Databases
before searching the databases.
| 1669
Hearth Money Rolls for North and Mid Antrim |
Excel |
PDF |
| 1663
Hearth Money Rolls for Co. Londonderry |
Excel |
PDF |
*
Persons living on alms, or persons not able to work,
or persons who had a house or lands worth less than
eight pounds per annum and with property valued at
less than four pounds.
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