A “tithe” is ancient custom where owners and occupiers of land are required to pay 10% of their produce to the Church Of England.
The 1836 Tithe Commutation Act set out to reform this custom, substituting an annual monetary payment on the value of the land. To assess these values a massive exercise of surveying land took place which resulted in tithe maps which outline the location and shape of all plots of land as well as the owner and the occupier. This took over 15 years to complete but the main period was 1839 to 1843.
The tithe maps give an invaluable aid to genealogists, when relatives were farmers, delf owners etc
The tithe maps can be found at The Genealogist (which is a paid site).
See Who Do You Think You Are Magazine for more information.
Norman And Marian Barton Family Tree 