TALBOT2828

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that Farm Houses & Cottages under £10– p^r annum, are not charged with this Tax – I am glad that it is likely to be repealed – as I have no doubt, it must be obnoxious in large Towns where the Assessment is made upon rack Rents – & I hope that Ministers will not be driven to alter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 M^r 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 M^r 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 Y^r obliged Ser^t
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