Hearth Tax Act 1662
E548709
The Hearth Tax Act 1662 was a Restoration-era English law that imposed a controversial tax based on the number of hearths or fireplaces in a dwelling, becoming a significant and unpopular source of royal revenue.
Statements (49)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Act of Parliament of England
ⓘ
tax law ⓘ |
| appliesTo |
England
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Wales NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| collectionMethod |
door-to-door inspection of hearths
ⓘ
use of tax collectors and sub-farmers ⓘ |
| controversy |
association with arbitrary royal power
ⓘ
burden on poorer householders ⓘ required entry into private homes to count hearths ⓘ |
| country | Kingdom of England ⓘ |
| dateEnacted | 1662-05-19 ⓘ |
| documentedIn | Statutes of the Realm NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| effect |
contributed to distrust of Stuart monarchy
ⓘ
encouraged concealment or blocking of hearths ⓘ generated a regular stream of royal revenue ⓘ provoked widespread popular resentment ⓘ |
| enactedInPeriod | English Restoration NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| enactedUnderMonarch | Charles II of England NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| exemptionCategory |
certain charitable institutions
ⓘ
industrial hearths in some cases ⓘ the poorest householders ⓘ |
| field |
economic history of England
ⓘ
legal history ⓘ |
| governingBody | Parliament of England NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| inspiredBy | earlier continental hearth taxes ⓘ |
| languageOfDocument | English ⓘ |
| legacy |
example of early modern fiscal intrusion into private households
ⓘ
important source for historical demographic and housing studies ⓘ |
| legalForm | statute ⓘ |
| motivatedBy | need to provide Charles II with stable income independent of Parliament ⓘ |
| nickName | chimney money ⓘ |
| perceivedAs |
intrusive
ⓘ
regressive ⓘ unpopular ⓘ |
| politicalContext | Restoration settlement of royal finances ⓘ |
| purpose | to raise regular revenue for the Crown ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
Restoration of Charles II
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
post–English Civil War fiscal reforms ⓘ |
| repealContext | aftermath of the Glorious Revolution ⓘ |
| repealed | yes ⓘ |
| repealedBy | William III and Mary II government NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| repealYear | 1689 ⓘ |
| revenueRecipient | English Crown NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| shortDescription | Restoration-era English statute imposing a tax on hearths and fireplaces ⓘ |
| taxBase |
number of fireplaces in a dwelling
ⓘ
number of hearths in a dwelling ⓘ |
| taxType |
direct tax
ⓘ
household tax ⓘ |
| yearEnacted | 1662 ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.