Tithes
The payment of one tenth of local produce to the church had been established in Anglo Saxon England before the Norman Conquest. This was originally in kind - every tenth stook of corn, etc. It originally supported the local priest, but in some cases, the right to receive the tithe was acquired by an organisation such as a monastery or college who paid a curate. With the dissolution of the monasteries, the right to receive tithes was acquired by a number of private landlords. In some instances, a tithe barn was built to hold the tithes. Tithes themselves were controversial, particularly among non conformists who resented supporting the established church, and payment in kind was not convenient for either the farmer or the tithe owner.
Read more about this topic: Tithe Maps