church rate

American  

noun

Ecclesiastical.

1. (formerly in England and Ireland) a compulsory assessment imposed on the parishioners' holdings of houses or land in order to repair the parish church and maintain its services.

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Etymology

Origin of church rate

First recorded in 1705–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

church rate

The church rate was a personal charge imposed on the occupier of land or of a house in the parish, and, though it was compulsory, much difficulty was found in effectually applying the compulsion.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 3 "Chitral" to "Cincinnati" by Various

Some few bold Puritan souls dared to protest against being forced to pay the church rate whether they wished to or not.

From Sabbath in Puritan New England by Earle, Alice Morse

The first church rate book only begins in 1776, but it is curious as showing to whom the land then belonged. 

From Old Times at Otterbourne by Yonge, Charlotte Mary

It awakened and alarmed many of them when I said that the church must be restored, and that we must have a church rate.

From From Death into Life or, twenty years of my minstry by Haslam, William

There has been no return yet laid before parliament of these partial burdens on land, but they cannot be estimated at less than the church rate, or £500,000 a-year.

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine - Volume 61, No. 376, February, 1847 by Various