Mise taxation schedule

A standard for the commutation of Mise to Taxes at £-rate on the estates of E.Downes in Shrigley. Total value £400. Drawn up from a valuation at £-rate of the township of Pott Shrigley made on oath before C.Legh and Peter Davenport Esquires, J.P's. 22 April 1737 by Edward Lomas, Henry Richardson, and Hezekiah Rhodes, assessors elected at a Town's Meeting at Pott convened to debate the action of "one Joseph Walker" who at Quarter Sessions at Northwich 11 January 1737 had obtained an order for the alteration of the Mise-book of the Township of Pott Shrigley, thinking his assessment for Mise unjust. To avoid court action and to make the order ineffective the town-meeting resolved to commute the Mise to a £-rate. In this doct the items of valuation are in four columns;- 1. valuation of each estate, one third deducted for the Taxes, etc., 2. assessment for the use of the overseer of the Poor after the £-rate at 3d.ih the £. 3.assesment of the Land Tax charged by the Government at 2s.in the £ 4. assessment after the £-rate to collect £5.12.6., being 75 years' Cereage Silver for the use of the wardens of the Mother Church.

These are the lands assessed as belonging to Downes's estate in Pott Shrigley;- the Demain; Pott Mill; Riddecar and Jeremy Bower's Common; Berristal and Jeremy Bower's Cliffs; Birchen-Cliff; Mr. Barlow's Estate; Normanshalls; Pott Hall; George Bowden's holding; George Bowden's tenement; Hursts; Finlow's Living; Jonas Heywood's and Six Acres; Gibhill; Bann's; Coats's; Gaskell's and Andrew's Ground; Roger Pott's; Mr.Beswick's; Green's Tenement; Coney Green; Downes's Ground; Bake-Stone Dale and Pott Moor; Cophurst; Etchells; Sherra Booth; Harrop's; Turner's; Clayton's; Heap's; Kirk House; Wyldes; Tythe.

Transcript of superscription to the schedule;-

WHEREAS one Joseph Walker, in the Year 1736, Vainly thinking himself Imposed upon by the rest of his Neighbours, in the Mise/Charged upon his Estate, lying in the Township of Pott Shrigley, He (being an Insufferable Disturber of Mankind) Attempted to break in upon/the Ancient Customs of the sd. Township; and Especially to Destroy their Customary way of Collecting Money by way of Mise, which Method had Passed without/Scruple for Several Generations past: and in Order thereto Appeal'd at the Quarter Sessions held at Northwich on the 11o day of January 1736-7. Where by his/partial Dealing he shew'd such Inequalities in the Mise-Book as mov'd the Gentlemen to grant him an Order to have it Alter'd. Upon which, a Town's meet/ing being Publickly call'd, It was concluded by the Inhabitants after some Debate, That it was better to have a new Assessment, than to give themselves the Trou/ble of Disproving Walker's Valuations at the next Sessions, which was Agreed on, and/Edwd:Lomas Henry Richardson & Hezekiah Rhodes were Unanimous Chosen/for the Assessors, who valued the Township, Drew up an Assessment after the Pound Rate and took their Oaths, that it was done wth. Equality, according to the best of their/Judgment, without Prejudice to one, or without Favour or Affection to another; before C:Legh & Peter Davenport Esqrs: tow of his Majesties Justices of the Peace (one of/'em being Quorum) upon the 22d.Day of April 1737. And afterwards at a Publick Town's Meeting held at Pott on the 27o of the sd. Instant, It was Agreed by all the Inhabi/-tants then present, that all Lays, Taxes, & Impositions shou'l hereafter be Assessed after the Pound Rate, according to the Valuation given in by the above sd.Assessors; from whence was Calculated/the following Scheme, as a Standard for the Taxes: for the Uuse of of E:Downes Esq:r and his Posterity, to prevent the Mischief that might afterwards arise from Scrupulous, uneasy, Disturbing Persons.

Mark none 1736 A Standard of the Taxes of Shrigley