BARTON MANOR AND THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF TATENHILL
The Ecclesiastical Parish of Tatenhill included the entire Manor of Barton, with the addition of Wychnor, and this was the situation until 1881 when Barton under Needwood became a parish in its own right. Up to that time, Barton church was a Chapel of Ease in the parish of Tatenhill. The inhabitants of Barton Manor paid their tithes to the Parson of the Mother Church at Tatenhill.
THE TITHE CUSTOM OF THE MANOR OF BARTON UNDER NEEDWOOD IN THE PARISH OF TATENHILL, 1587
The Custom of the Manor of Barton under Needwood for and concerning the payment of all manner of tithes by the inhabitants there to the Parson of Tatenhill for the time being and especially of and for all tithes due and payable on and by the Easter Book or Roll for Barton at the Chapel there collected and made by the inhabitants of Barton for the better direction of their posterity in that behalf and for the more certain testimony of truth therein henceforward and forever.
CORN
Every inhabitant of Barton is to pay his tithe of corn in kind of whatsoever grain it be by carting out or setting forth of the same in sheaf, coyle, nick or reape as hath been evermore used and the same is to be taken away by the tithe gatherer.
Item.
It hath been known that the Parson hath heretofore required tithe of rakings of rye, barley or oats if the same have been gathered by the owner in any cleanly and husbandly manner and without overmuch scattering and shedding of the loose corn whereby to deceive and defraud the Parson of his due tithe for which practice as it is conceived, some inhabitants have of late years been questioned about.
Item.
In all meadows, grounds and pastures that be mowed the tithe is set forth in kind, every tenth cock or coyle of hay. Such mowable as yield a certain rent yearly for their tithe of hay and corn growing in the same (field) and also all pieces of meadow called Doales always excepted.
GARDEN
Every inhabitant having a garden to his home by the Custom ought to pay a penny.
BEES
Every inhabitant of Barton keeping any hives or stalls of bees shall yield no tithe for the same until he shall sell or kill any of the same. Then at Easter next following he is to pay for the tithe thereof, two pence for any hive or stall so killed or sold the year before, for three pence in the name of his tithe of bees, wax and honey.
WOOL AND LAMBS
Item
Touching both wool and lambs it is holden and offered by the Custom on that behalf that if the sheep be and feed within the Lordship and Liberties of Barton upon Candlemas Even at night and Candlemas Day whether the same be ewes or wethers (all be it the same were newly brought in by the owners) that he shall pay the Tithe Wool in kind if he keep the same until Midsummer Day or sheare them before the shearing time thereof. But if the owner shall happen to sell or kill the same sheep in wool before Midsummer Day then he by the Custom is to pay a rate tithe for so many as he shall kill or sell which by the Custom is an half penny for the tithe wool of every sheep sold and no more and if such owner shall sell the sheep after Midsummer in the wool unclipped then he is to make composition with the Parson for the tithe wool in kind as he can agree. And concerning tithe lambs by the Custom the same must be paid in kind by the owner when the lambs be yeaned and fallen if he keeps the same till Midsummer Day following for so many of them as then be living and increasing because it is that time that the tithe lambs are to be paid. But if he shall upon any urgent occasion and without intention to defraud sell his ewes and lambs or his lambs alone before Midsummer Day then he is to pay a rate tithe for so many as he shall sell which is a half penny for the tithe wool of every ewe and also another half penny for every lamb sold. And if any owner shall sell his lambs after Midsummer Day before the tithe of the same he is to compound as he can agree for the tithe in kind. Also if any man happen to buy sheep whether they be wethers or ewes in lamb betwixt Candlemas and Midsummer Day then he shall pay no tithe wool for the sheep at shear time following yet he shall pay tithe lambs in kind for so many as shall be yeaned within the liberty of Barton and kept until Midsummer as is aforesaid and likewise pay a rate tithe if he shall kill or sell them before Midsummer Day in such manner as is before mentioned but if the lambs were yeaned before the buying then there is no tithe to be paid for them. For the manner of payment of the tithe of wool and lambs it is thus, by the Custom of Barton the owner out of every ten fleeces shall make his choice of two first and then the Parson shall make choice of the third for his tithe fleece of the same and so throughout all the same wool and if after the tithering of all ten fleeces there shall remain seven, eight or nine fleeces thereof the Parson shall take the last fleece thereof and give the owner allowance of a half penny for every fleece wanting of ten as is aforesaid of lambs and if there be but six or fewer fleeces to be tithed for the owner is to pay the Parson a half penny for every fleece being six or under.
OFFERINGS
Every occupier of a messuage or yard land freehold or copyhold doth pay for his offerings yearly at or before Easter the sum of four pence for which the party himself his wife and two of his children or family not taking wages are to receive the Communion freely without further charge to be paid to the Parson and likewise to the clerk for his yearly wage – and every messuage and half yard land to pay also for his offerings at or before Easter two pence for which himself his wife or one other of his family not taking wages are to receive Communion freely without any further charge or duty and also two pence to the clerk of Barton for his yeares wages and every person dwelling upon a cottage payeth also for his offerings two pence and two pence more yearly for the clerk’s wages.
KINE AND CALVES
By the Custom within Barton every owner of kine shall pay and content at Easter yearly for his tithe one penny for every cow that gave milk the summer or winter last before as well as for his new milch kine as for his barren or stretch milch kine except the cow or kine which calved the tithe calf or calves and suckled and bred the same be always free from payment of any tithes for the milk last before her or their calving and none other allowance or milk or butter, cheese or money whatsoever. And if such owner of kine have young calves betwixt Easter last past and the Easter following at which time only the tithe of calves is to be paid under the number of seven he shall pay to the Parson one half penny for every such calf. But if he hath seven calves then shall he pay or compound for the seventh calf for the tithe calf and thereupon the Parson shall allow one and a half pence and if he have eight calves the Parson shall have the eighth and allow the owner one penny and if he have nine calves the Parson shall have the nineth and allow the owner half a penny. If he have ten calves the Parson shall take the tenth calf as due for his tithe without giving any allowance. And if the owner of such calves by the Custom is to keep that calf with the dames milk sufficiently as he doth other calves for the space of fourteen days and then to give notice of such tithe calf to the Parson and if the same tithe calf shall not be fetched away within convenient time after such notice given the owner may bring and tie the same in the Chapel Yard of Barton aforesaid with a cord at the sayle thereof next to such owner’s house except the Parson shall sell such calf to the owner or take order with him for the longer keeping and suckling of the same and if such tithe calf fell long before Easter and so more of greater age (as of twenty days and above) at the Easter time then the owner is to pay and satisfy for such calf such price as the calf shall be assumed to be worth at fourteen or fifteen days of age and no more but by the Custom the calf shall not run on in account from one year to another thereby to gain of have any tithe calf in kind at seven, eight or nine or ten calves got.
DOALES OF MEADOW
Item.
By the Custom every occupier of any parcells or half an acre of meadows known by the name of Doales of Meadow is to pay to the Parson at the next Easter after his joining thereof one penny for the tithe of any such doale and not tithe hay in kind. As for Fawkes Meadow being three doales three pence at every Easter and so according to the number more or less and for the most part every yard land in Barton be it free or customary hath or should have eight doales and every seven and a half yard lands four doales of meadow there unto belonging and all meadow grounds yields tithe hay in kind as is before declared.
WOOL AND LAMBS
The rest of the Custom of tithes due to the Parson of Tatenhill.
But if any owner have no more wool but six or fewer fleeces to tithe for then he shall pay for his tithe at the Easter next following in the Easter Book or Roll at a half penny for every fleece according to the number to be entered therein under the tithe of wool and lambs.
LAMBS
And also in payment of the tithe of lambs the owner is to take his choice of two in every ten and the Parson is to choose his tithe lamb by custom of the remainder. Be seven, eight or nine lambs then the Parson is to take the last lamb of the number for his tithe and to give allowance to the owner of a half penny for every one that is wanting to make up the ten, as aforesaid, of fleeces in that behalf but if the owner have no more lambs but six or under to tithe for Midsummer he is to pay for the same at Easter next following a half penny a piece according to the number of lambs and the same is to be entered into the Easter Roll under the tithe of wool and lambs therein and upon payment to be discharged. But if any owner shall not pay his tithe duly of his wool and lambs the Parson shall upon suite record of such owner a full tenth of the true value of such wool and lambs.
HANDYCRAFT TRADE
Item.
Every man of handycraft trade which is the last tithe in the Easter Book or Roll is to make agreement with the Parson for the tithe of his trade, mystery or craft, whatsoever it be, a penny, two pennies or three pennies as he can conclude on and besides his offering penny to be paid as above said.
YOUNG FOLK
Item.
For young folks whether they be men or women every one of them taking no wages and receiving Communion at Easter Book a penny in their name and for his or her offering.
SERVANTS
Item.
For servants’ wages the next tithe in the Easter Book every servant being man or maid taking wages and coming to the Lord’s Supper is to pay for the tithe of his wages except the Parson shall pardon and remit the same because he or she travelleth to benefit him or them in tithes such as his or her endeavours and service.
POULTRY
Item.
Every inhabitant of Barton is to pay against Easter yearly for the tithe of his house cock, old hens, ducks and turkeys as followeth for every cock and drake three eggs, for every hen, or other, two eggs and the seventh, eighth, nineth or tenth gosling or young goose. If the owner have no more than those several numbers without giving or taking any allowance for that behalfe for the number under ten or the number above ten so that they exceed not seventeen goslings pay two for the tithe and so pay but two.
SWINE
Item.
No inhabitant of Barton is to pay tithe for any swine other than young pigs and thereof the Parson shall have a tithe pig at seven, eight, nine or ten and take his choice after that the owner hath taken two of the best when the pigs shall be meatable and if they yield a tithe at seven he shall have allowance of three pigs more at the next litter of pigs by the sow or any other sow and so answerably to any of the said numbers. Howbeit if the owner have but six pigs or fewer then the Parson shall run out or drive the same to have his tithe pig of the said next litter by the same or any other sow so that the second litter be within the year next after the former litter of pigs for and after such next year be ended neither the Parson nor the owner may or shall produce the Custom in making up such number of ten for any advantage on either part.
PEARS
Item.
For the tithe of pears and apples the owner is to yield the tenth part by estimation and the same to be fetched at his house and for cherries, plums and nuts the Parson is to have a tithe if he shall come or send to get him a dish of the same otherwise not.
HEMP, FLAX
Lastly the tenth parte of hemp and flax is to be yielded to the Parson after that the same be washed and dried one or more bundles when the tithe man cometh or sendeth for such tithe hemp or flax and if the owner send the same to the Parson then the bringer is to be requited for his or her pains with fitting victuals as hath evermore been accustomed to do in former Parsons’ times.
Note that Barton is a Chapel of Ease within the Parish of Tatenhill and the inhabitants and others pre-deceased have always paid their tithes according to the Custom herein expressed and consequently so the whole manor.
(The ‘Customary Payment of Tithes’ is an extract from Document Ref. WH 887 c. 1587 in the Catton Hall Papers housed at Matlock.)
NOTE:- It is thought possible that some minor tithes may have been paid to the Priest in Charge of Barton Chapel.