A comparison of the 17th and 18th Century gravestones against the 1674 Hearth Tax returns and the Lord of the Manor's tenants recorded on the estate map of 1722.

The clergy have been omitted from this analysis

Apart from those listed below, headstones give at least 9 other dates within the period, but the names are illegible. There are a further 60 completely illegible due to the use of local stone that has poor wearing qualities, many probably for the period under review.

Hearth Tax Duston 1674

Introduced in 1663 by Statute 13 and 14 of King Charles II on all who lived in houses other than colleges. In the Public Records Office there are hearth tax records dating from 1660 to 1689 the date of cessation.

Tax was 2/- per year per hearth from all residents who paid towards the parish "church and poor". There were 80 taxable hearths in Duston raising 160/- per year tax.

From a handwritten transcript of hearth taxpayers available at Northants Record Office, which is not in alphabetical order.

The opportunity has therefore been taken to start this section with nine surnames that may relate to the memorial record.

Hearth Tax records presumably ignore nationalities, religious denominations or political persuasion so may contain information not found in church records

Surnames in a few cases are "probables" - is Aish a misreading for Ash?

1. John Aish
2. Richard Chambers
3. Thomas Hall
4. Henry Harris
5. John Harris
6. Mary Harris
7. William Palmer
8. Samuel Spencer
9. Samuel Stanton

The rest are as follows:

1. Sara Barnes
2. John Basely
3. Nathaniel Basely
4. Andrew Baxter
5. Richard Carrill
6. Thomas Carrill
7. Mr John Coles
8. Sara Collis
9. Robert Cosby
10. Joane Cranborow
11. John Dasset
12. Mr Ere
13. Owen fflecknoe
14. William fflecknoe
15. Elizabeth Gasket
16. Mr Samuel Goffe
17. John Hanny
18. John Harrison
19. Thomas Hiller
20. Edward Laundon
21. John Linnell
22. Henry Marritt
23. Samuel Mason
24. Thomas Meir
25. John Mutton
26. Sara Mutton
27. William Mutton
28. Mr Joseph Parker
29. Obadiah Robins
30. Samuel Rowe
31. John Shephard
32. Widow Silsby
33. John Tarry
34. Richard Tyms
35. Margery Walker
36. John Wattch(?)
37. John Whiteing
38. John Willis
39. Agnes Willey

So in 1674, of the 48 taxpayers listed, we have nine women householders paying the tax, only one being termed "widow", and four entitled "Mr."

There follows a comparison with the names recorded by the Lord of the Manor of Duston in 1722, the Right Honourable Thomas Cook Esq. Vice-Chamberlain of his Majesty's household (King George I)

There are 38 residents listed, presumably all tenants of this landlord.

On the manorial map, about 20 unlisted village properties are also shown presumably belonging to other residents. There are also spelling differences that suggest the compiler may have recorded information phonetically in this list, e.g. Surname "Cook for Coke" plus the differences in surname spelling generally and fieldname "Berry for Bury"

Duston Residents 1722

From the Manorial Map produced by Malcolm Deacon, David Foster and Stephen Garratt in 1990.

The term "Duston residents" applies in this case to the old village only. Other names of residents of mills, the small settlement close to Westbridge and other scattered dwellings are not recorded on this map.

The most likely names common to the other records have been placed at the top, as in the hearth tax record, to make comparison simpler.

Names marked with an "m" are from Memorial List; names in brackets appear on the hearth tax list.

1. John Carvill, previously Kilsby,
2. Thomas Carvill (Carrill?)
3. Anne Grandborow
4. Widow Grandborow (Cranborow?)
5. Samuel Hilliers (Hiller?)
6. William Lucas (m)
7. Henry Marriot (Marritt?)
8. Palmer's Corner (William Palmer)+ (m)+(field name)
9. Stephen Pasely (Basely?)
10. Widow Shepard (Shephard?)
11. William Spencer (m)
12. Benjamin Willis
13. Widow Willis (? Willy, Wilby?)

The rest are as follows:

14. Thomas Althorp
15. Francis Baulecoate
16. Widow Bell
17. Richard Blewitt
18. Richard Botterrell
19. Richard Burrows
20. Elim (?) Cranfield
21. Samuel Gasgoine, previously Hills
22. John Glenn
23. Richard Holyoke
24. Mr Kent
25. Edward Kent
26. James Oliver
27. John Roberts
28. Thomas Smith

The three lists produced here provide interesting comparisons with each other in their varied content of surnames over a broadly similar period, with the spelling variations for what may be the same surname, and for the number of different surnames on the three lists for a small village population.

David Blackburn
Duston Northampton
2009

Opposite Sainsbury's

Pharmacy within the Sainsbury's store.

Chemists on Limehurst Square, opposite Tescos

At Touchwood pharmacy we aim to serve the community by providing high quality health care services.

This chemists is conveniently located within St Luke's Medical Centre.

Providing an ironing service to Duston and the surrounding area

A local cattery serving Duston & Upton and the surrounding areas.

Supplying and fitting carpets & vinyls around the Northants area for over 30 years.

Cabinet Makers / handmade bespoke furniture