For many years the main payments made by villagers to fund the “living” of the local Rector was via the Tithe System, as discussed here. An additional payment known as the Church Rate was introduced to fund maintenance of the church itself, as well as day-to-day expenses such as for communion or to fund the churches support of the local poor – pay for pauper’s funerals etc.
The church rates were set by the churchwardens in agreement with the parishioners via a meeting known as the Vestry. It rate was a personal charge imposed on the occupier of land or of a house in the parish, and, though it was compulsory, it was often difficult to enforce. It was compulsory to pay this rate until 1856, from which point it was voluntary, and those who did not pay it had no say in how the funds were allocated.