Warning
Info
Warning
Info
Simple English definitions for legal terms
chimney money
Read a random definition: de non alienando sine consensu superiorum
A quick definition of chimney money:
Chimney money was a tax that people had to pay in England a long time ago. The tax was two shillings for every fireplace in a house. It was very unpopular and people did not like it. The tax was started in 1662 when Charles II was the king and it was stopped in 1688. Chimney money is also called hearth money or Peter-pence.
A more thorough explanation:
Chimney money, also known as hearth money, was a tax that was imposed on every fireplace in England during the reign of Charles II. The tax was two shillings per fireplace and was extremely unpopular among the people. It was enacted in 1662 and abolished in 1688.
For example, if a household had three fireplaces, they would have to pay six shillings as chimney money.
The term "chimney money" comes from the fact that the tax was based on the number of chimneys or fireplaces in a household. The tax was seen as unfair because it was regressive, meaning that it affected the poor more than the rich.