The hearth tax was levied on householders in England and Wales between 1662 and 1689. Records of the assessments, returns and exemptions are a fruitful source for family, local and social historians, as they provide a remarkable insight into wealth, poverty, population, and literacy in the early modern period. This podcast looks at the records of this controversial and unpopular tax held at The National Archives.
Paul Carlyle is a specialist in medieval and early modern records at The National Archives.