Wat Tyler or Walter Tyler was the leader of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. This was a protest against the poll tax of the time and a push for social reform and greater equality. As a result of the revolt Wat Tyler became a local hero. There is a pub in Dartford named after him where it is suggested he spent time. The Peasants' Revolt began 35 years after the Black Death had decimated Europe resulting in labour shortages. Peasants realised that there was a shortage of people to work the land and wanted better pay and conditions. The government passed a law to stop wage rises and to make matters worse a poll tax was introduced to support the war with France. Three times in four years the tax was demanded so that everybody over the age of 15 irrespective of their earnings had to pay 4 pence. This disproportionately affected the poor and peasants encouraged by the teaching of John Ball a radical priest were led to take action. When a tax collector arrived in an Essex village