Chippenham <1>
26 Feb. 1834
Dear Sir
Agreeably with your desire, I send you the Particulars of the House Tax paid by yourself & Tenants at Lacock – you are, no doubt, aware that Farm Houses & Cottages under £10– pr annum, are not charged with this Tax – I am glad that it is likely to be repealed – as I have no doubt, it must be obnoxious in large Towns where the Assessment is made upon rack Rents – & I hope that Ministers will not be driven to alter their Arrangements in this respect –
I have made Enquiries of John Gale, <2> Blackham & Farmer Hayward <3> – respecting the 5 Firs at Nash Hill <4> – & the result is, that they formed part of a Lot of Timber sold about 27 years ago – & that Mr Dickinson wished these Firs to remain, as they sheltered his Farm Buildings & purchased them of the Purchaser of that lot – but your People above mentioned do not recollect any particulars of the Conditions – My own opinion is, that Mr Dickinson made none & that he relied upon the thing altogether as a matter of neighbourly civility & must have taken them down at any time that he had been called upon to do so –
I am Dear Sir Yr obliged Sert
W. H. Awdry
| House rated at – | Duty | |
| W H F Talbot for the Abbey |
£70 ––––– | 9. 18. 4 |
| J. Awdry <5> for Reybridge <6> |
–15 ––––– | 1. – |
| late Brindleys | –18 ––––– | 1. 6. 0 |
| J. Aberdeen | –10 ––––– | 0. 10. – |
| J. Harding | –[16?] ––– | 0. 13. 6 |
| J. Plaister | –11 ––––– | 0. 8. 3 |
Notes:
1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
2. John Gale, carpenter at Lacock.
3. Thomas Hayward (b. 1783), tenant farmer, Wick Farm, Lacock.
4. Nash Hill, also Naish Hill, a hill and farm 1 mi NE of Lacock, Wiltshire.
5. John Awdry (1766–1844), solicitor, Reybridge.
6. Reybridge, Wiltshire, 1 mi N of Lacock.
7. Harriet Gordon, née Douglas, Lady Aberdeen (d. 1833).