Tis is an extract from Ovingham Parish Vestry Book, 1680 - 1765, which relates to Wylam.
This particular page relates to the tax placed upon the parishoners towards the maintenance of Ovingham church in 1765. John Blackett was liable to pay £7 and 2 1/2 pence. This is equivalent to approximately £380 by todays value. The Blackett family were major landowners in Wylam and owned the Wylam estate for several centuries.
Many of the Ovingham parish records are deposited with Northumberland Archives Service. Previously they were kept at the church. For many years church records were stored in the Parish Chest. This tradition dates back to medieval times. The Chest would usually be found in the vestry and kept under lock and key. All church records would be stored there. For example, baptism registers, poor relief records and churchwardens' accounts would all be found within the Chest.
