This article by Roy Iremonger was originally written during lockdown.
A Moment in Time At the Swan Inn
With lockdown hopefully coming to an end we can begin to look forward to returning to our local taverns to enjoy that wonderful atmosphere that only places such as these can provide. As I was pondering over these thoughts I recalled a talk I gave at the Dallington History Group on various historic events that have taken place at the Swan Inn at Woods Corner, and this particular story has always stayed with me.
During the early 19th century farming communities were experiencing radical changes that had a major impact on the agricultural classes and were to create serious deprivation within large parts of the Weald. It was not surprising that what became known as the Swing Riots were so prevalent in this area with farms suffering from such events as fires to hay ricks and threshing machines smashed by disgruntled workers who were no longer able to earn enough to support their families.
Whilst distress was spreading across East Sussex the Church was still actively demanding that tithes should continue be be paid to the local vicars. At this time in Dallington, the vicar was the Reverend Thomas Ferris who interestingly enough was actually living in Hawkhurst, Kent., with St Giles, Dallington being officiated by six successive curates.
The following two anonymous letters appeared in a local paper at the time [details of publication still to be confirmed] and were fortunately recorded by Miss Tatham in her journal.
Tithes of Dallington
We have not infrequently urged the baneful effects of the tithe system, and of outrages to which it gives rise. We have also on various occasions pointed out how little is to be expected from the justice of the Clergy, on how much is to be extorted from their rents. In illustration of these positions, we subjoin the copies of two letters received from Dallington in the last few days.
November 7th 1830 “The Rev. Thomas Ferris, rector and Vicar of Dallington held his tithe at the Swan Inn, November 5th. The hour for taking the money was from ten till two; and any one not being there within the hours to pay his money, was to pay for his own dinner. The Parson came at half-past one. He called in one man wished him pay 15 per cent more than last year, which was refused. Then another was called, who was of the same mind, and the Parson said he would not take any. Then the farmers said they could pay for a dinner themselves, and ordered the landlord to take up the dinner.
Then the Parson said he would take the same as last year; but they told him they were going to have dinner then. So in came Mr Parson, bowing and scraping and shaking of hands, because he had not got his money. He sat down to dinner with us; but as soon as dinner was over, he said, “Now I will take your money, and I will have a pipe and something to drink with you afterward” so he then went on taking money. The first one that paid laid down more money than his tithe, not expecting but he would return him his change; but he stopped the money for his dinner, and said he could not afford to give him a dinner. So the rest of us took care to get our money right before we went in; and as soon as he had got his money, he did not say anything about a pipe nor yet anything to drink, but slipped off home, leaving us to pay for our pipe and drink” [Anon]
November 12th 1830 “Dallington—-I take this opportunity of writing to you, as I think you would like to know how we are getting on in our neighbourhood. We held a meeting here on the 10th November to adopt measures we could to satisfy the labouring people. They said they wanted 2 shillings and three pence per day; we agreed 2 shillings, and if other parishes paid more, we would; and with that they were all satisfied. But we told them we did not know how we could get the money to do it; they told us we should go back to the Parson and make him give half the money back; but we told them we were sure that was no use, so they said they would go with us and make him. The farmers and altogether went on the 11th to Hawkhurst, to the Parsons; there were but few in the parish but what went, and he agreed to pay back half what he had received, and he paid all the money he had got, and said that the others who had not paid were to pay only half their tithe.”
Footnote
A fairer Tithe Commutation Act was introduced in 1836.
The Reverend Thomas died 1848 age 66. In 1849 the Reverend Ralph Tatham became the new rector of St Giles Church which was in such a poor state of repair that it was eventually rebuilt in 1864.
The second letter is all the more remarkable as it suggests that almost all the population of Dallington travelled to Hawkhurst (“there were few in the parish but went”). It is hardly surprising that, faced with such a large number of villagers, the vicar decided to give the tithes back.
Perhaps when we are again fortunate enough to return to the Swan Inn to dine or partake of a glass of their favourite tipple I hope some of us will quietly raise a glass to remember that day 190 years ago when those Dallington men crossed this space to pay their tithes. Roy Iremonger
2024 update by web editor: I am currently transcribing some of the information from the Tithe Apportionment Map 1842, compiled in response to the 1836 Tithe Commutation Act mentioned above, which contains fascinating information about owners and occupiers of every parcel of land in the parish, and detailed assessments of the value of the different kinds of produce owned on each. The map itself can be viewed for free at The Keep (East Sussex archive) website at https://www.thekeep.info/collections/tithe-maps/, but full records are only available to subscribers to The Genealogist ( https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/ ). I hope to use it to supplement some details about individual houses in the Places section of this site.
Dallington History 