Repealing the effects of the window tax

There are quite a lot of old buildings in this town and you will often see windows that have been bricked up for many years.

We did this at school, it was a sort of rebellion against the window tax, which operated for more than 150 years ending in 1851 when it was replaced by house duty.

There's a building across the road from me, which despite the modern look (thanks to renovation), is quite old and though there are two dwellings, was probably one house.  On the upstairs floor at the front, there are two bricked up windows.

This morning, I heard the tap, tap tapping and then noticed some bloke chipping out the bricks to one of the windows, bringing a little more light into the occupier's lives, that our government  was responsible for taking away some years ago.  In fact, it is alleged the term "daylight robbery" comes from this tax and the bricking up of windows to reduce the tax paid.

Comments

[molly]

So that would date this house to before 1700, to have windows needing to be bricked up? Because who would put them in to brick up later? neat.