Presumably 'Sundry' attracted no per capita fee! A few years later there was a veritable holocaust, the peak annual payments occurring in 1780 when 40 dozen killed sparrows meant a payment by the Churchwardens of 10s. 0d, and 2 dozen jackdaws were also despatched. Payments for the dead birds seem to have been made mainly between May and October each year but one cannot be sure about the season of the cull since, in the years of the greatest slaughter, there is only one payment entered in each year's accounts.

Presumably the killing of the sparrows was to protect the poor yields (by modern standards) of the wheat, barley or rye grown in the old open field system of agriculture, and possibly to protect the Rector's tithe derived from the crops. At all events, these payments recorded in Salthouse accounts were by no means unusual in the 18th century. One authority (W. E. Tate in The Parish Chest, p.107) states that extant church records from across England prove the slaughter of several million sparrows.

Although the parish constable had to keep 'watch and ward' and consequently had charge of the 'village gun' (Tate p.187), it was, one hopes, the Churchwardens' somewhat vague duty of dealing with 'vermin' which account also for several other entries—such as that in 1785:

May 4th Paid for powder and shot..........................7d

By far the oddest entry in the entire period covered by these accounts occurs in 1800:

December 4 Hair powder Instructions ..................6½d

One can imagine gentlemen of the time requiring hair powder and, conceivably, instructions in its use, but why the Churchwardens should have charged it against the 'church rate' in the single year of 1800 is puzzling.

How the item could have been accepted by others looking through the accounts is even more puzzling. The accounts were supposed to have been 'signed off' (i.e. checked) annually but, in Salthouse at least, there is no evidence that this was always done.

The accounts for 1742 have the following note:

These Accts are examined and alowd by us whose Names are Under Written and we choose Henry Stanforth and Richd Youngs Churchwardens for the Year Insuing signed:
Thomas Turner Rector of Salthouse,
Sherwood (?) Bainbrigg,
Robt Colls,
Francis Southgate,
Richard Youngs

In some years there are equivalent notes but in others none. There must, in any case, be doubt about the effectiveness of the examination. The note written on 28th March 1749 reads:

These Accts are examined and alowed by us whose names are underwritten. We chuse Henry Stanforth and Fenn Lewis Church Wardens for the year ensuing.
John Jarvis (his mark)
Edm Rice (his mark)

Although 250 years ago illiteracy was widespread, two people who could neither read nor write could hardly have gone through the accounts with a fine tooth comb. Mr Rice similarly examined the accounts for 1750-51 and made his mark at the relevant entry in April 1751. He became Churchwarden for a year in 1752 but at that time illiteracy would have been, presumably, less of a handicap in that office. It is interesting to note that there is no evidence, within the accounts, of 'signing off' for thirty-one consecutive years after 1779-80. Not surprisingly, given the colossal expenditure in 1810-11, the procedure was certainly carried out in 1811 when the note reads:

We the undersigned parishioners have examined and do allow the foregoing Accounts, as Witness our Hands Signed:
Willm Girdlestone, Rector
Elizabeth Purdy
Robert Mash

Elizabeth Purdy was the widow of the major landholder in the village and on his death had become the person making the highest contribution to the 'church rate'. No wonder she took an interest in this quite exceptional expenditure.

Presumably her position in the village enabled her to do so despite the general absence of women from the records of those participating in church government. How very different from the position in the early years of the 21st century when not only the Churchwardens but also the Priest with particular involvement with Salthouse (among the clergy within the Weybourne Group) are all women.

D. A. Schofield, 2001