The Norwich and Norfolk hearth Tax Assessment
Lady Day 1666

 The Hearth Tax was a charge of one shilling for six months on every hearth used in houses worth 20 shillings or more per year in rent. The tax was paid by the occupier who also paid Church Rate, and the Poor Law Rate, so this is a list of the more prosperous householders in Hockwold cum Wilton in the reign of Charles II. The terms 'Esquire' and 'Gentleman' were not polite forms of address, but recognised social positions. The biggest payers are the Esquires, and, as is usual for thw time, the list is not in alphabetical order but starts with the most important person, Edward Warner, Esquire paying for no less than 11 hearths. It is possible that the other names are in some sort of street order. Some Christian names seem quite modern, others such as 'Cleere' remind us that things change in 300 years.

 The number by each name represents both the number of hearths and hence the tax in shillings. The numbers themselves are in Roman form, i  = 1, ii = 2, v = 5 etc. To stop fraud, for example, by changing a ii to a iii, the last i is written as a j, so seven is written as vij. The record for the whole county can be found in The Norfolk Genealogy Vol. XX (Norwich, 1989).

                   Edw WARNER Esqr            xj

Willm SMITH                     vij

Mr PRATT & Cleere SUTTON       vij

Edm BACON gent            ij

Whim NEVINGHAM Esq        vj

Osbett PALMER                    vij

Tho THICKPENNY            iiij

Tho SPENCER                  iij

Thomas WAST jun           ii

Edm NEWELL                  ii

Ralph LAWSON                 ii

Tho SALTER                    j

Willm SEAGOE                  ii

Tho WEST sen                    j

John HACON                 j

Andrew JARROLD               ij

Allen BULLEN                 j

Edm SMYTH                 j

Prisca COOPER                  ij

Osbert STALLON            j

John WHITEBREAD            j

Math GOLD                    j

Tho BLOMFEILD            iiij

Tho CLARKE                  ij

John YOUNGS                    iij

Robt TERRELL Esqr            viij

Robt DEY                      vj

Millicent AYLMER               ij

Robt WEST                  iij

John WHISTLER                  j

Whim FULLER                    ij

Philip PAYNTER                  ij

Will FULLER for

Robt BARRWLL                iij

Christ YOUNGE                    ij

Willm JAMES                ij

Rich JOHNSON                 ij

Willm BUTTER                  ij

Thomas WATSON            iij

Roger WATTS                vj

Thomas VERDEN            ij

Robt BATEMAN                 iij

Willm BENNETT             ij

John KENTON                 ij

Edm MILLER                    iiij

Robt AYLMER                    iij

Francis CHESTON            iij

Robt CHESTON                 ij

Whim THORNTON            ij

John FIELD                 iij

Tho TARRY                 j

Willm BELMER                    j

John STALLON                 j

John SPENCER                  iij

Sam AYLMER                    iij

Mich COBB                    ij

Tho RUSBROOKE             j

Osbert BIRD                 iiij

Osbert WITHERELL             iij

Franc WACE                    iiij

Hen HIPPERLY                    iij

Willm STALLON            iij

John NEVELL                  j

George BOCKINGE               j

John GLENDENIM            j

Hen TIBBOLD                    j

Cleere SUTTON                 iij