The survey and compilation of domesday book took about 20 months, from christmas 1085 to the death of william in september 1087. Domesday book was a comprehensive survey and record of all the. William the conqueror or william i is best known for pushing england into the phase known as medieval england. In 1086 william made a land register of his territory to know how much money.
By the time of king williams death in september 1087 work had stopped, and could have. Now, after years of research, symes makes the case in the journal speculum that the final great domesday book came years and perhaps decades later than the 1087 date to which its attributed. The book of winchester was the domesday book compiled by officials of william the conqueror on his orders and published c1086. Produced at amazing speed in the years after the conquest, the domesday book provides a vivid picture of late 11thcentury england. He could collect in terms of taxes and the results of this survey were. From domesday book to magna carta 1087 1216 the oxford history of england book book details. Its time to rewrite some history, or at least one part that concerns englands famous domesday book. Pages in category domesday book the following 15 pages are in this category, out of 15 total. A landmark study of key century in medieval history, this book comprises the history of the century and a quarter which elapsed between the compilation of domesday book and the issue of the magna carta, the two greatest documents of english medieval history. The other, great domesday, covers much of the remainder of england and parts of wales, except for lands in the north that later became westmorland, cumberland, northumberland and the county palatine of durham. The domesday book was created around 20 years after the battle of hastings, when william i demanded information about the ownership status of the country he was now ruling. From domesday book to magna carta, 10871216 by austin l.
As previously mentioned on ancient pages, the domesday book is closely related to william the conqueror or william the bastard, king of england and duke of normandy, ca. The domesday book compiled in 10856 is one of the few historical records. Timeline for the domesday book, the results of the domesday survey of england recording,418 settlements history through timelines by. The domesday book also known as domesday, or book of winchester was a record of all taxable land in england, together with such information as would indicate its worth. It had a recorded population of 51 households in 1086, putting it in the largest 20% of settlements recorded in domesday. By the time of king williams death in september 1087 work had stopped, and could have ceased before this time. The name craven is either preceltic britain, britonnic or romanobritish in origin. The first volume great domesday contains the final summarized record of all the counties surveyed except essex, norfolk, and suffolk. At christmas, 1085, whilst staying at goucester, william the conqueror decided to conduct a far ranging survey of his kingdom, its boroughs and manors, for tax purposes, becoming known as the domesday book, from the old english dom, meaning reckoning, due to the exacting and invasive nature of its questions, the survey was completed in 1086. He also wanted to discover how much tax he was owed and knew a written record would prevent tax disputes.
When the domesday book was compiled around 1087, wimbledon was part of the manor of mortlake, and so was not recorded. Domesday book is a manuscript record of the great survey of much of england and parts of. From domesday book to magna carta 10871216 edition 2 by. Twenty years after the battle of hastings, william the. Domesday book is the oldest government record held. Famed domesday book was completed later than historians. The domesday book is closely linked with william the conquerors attempt to dominate medieval england. The national archives is the home of domesday book, the oldest surviving public record. Little domesday covering norfolk, suffolk, and essex, and great domesday covering much of the remainder of england except for lands in the north that later became westmorland, cumberland, northumberland, and the county palatine of durham and parts of wales bordering, and included. Norman king, william the conqueror, battle of hastings, domesday book, lord of. Domesday book great domesday the national archives.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of rainald croc, which was dated 1086, the domesday book, hampshire, during the reign of king william 1, known as the conqueror, 1066 1087. Domesday book was a comprehensive survey and record of all the landowners, property, tenants and serfs of medieval norman england which was compiled in 10867 ce under the orders of william the conqueror r. The information collected was recorded by hand in two huge books, in the space of around a year. The extent of the medieval district of craven, in the north of england is a matter of debate. Domesday book in 1085, william ordered a full survey of the landholdings of all of england. The existing literature on this remarkable memorial is so extensive, that it has not appeared advisable to quote largely from it. A complete translation domesday book is one of the most famous documents in english history.
Domesday article about domesday by the free dictionary. From domesday book to magna carta 1087 1216 the oxford history of england author. Tr introduction the first approach to a modern assessment roll or cataster is the well known domesday book. The manor was held by the church until 98 when thomas arundel, archbishop of canterbury fell out of favour with richard ii and was. The basis of this electronic edition of the text is the translation published by phillimore and edited by john morris 35 volumes, chichester, 197386, with the following modifications. If you aim to buy books concerning the ancient and medieval history of england,i recommend the tomes 14 from the oxford history of england.
The various inquiries instituted during the middle ages, such as the domesday book and the breviary of charlemagne, were so far on the roman model that they took little or no account of the population, the feudal system probably rendering information regarding it unnecessary for the purposes of taxa. The bbc domesday project was a partnership between acorn computers, philips, logica and the bbc with some funding from the european commissions esprit programme to mark the 900th anniversary of the original domesday book, an 11thcentury census of england. From domesday book to magna carta, 1087 1216 iii by a. William the bastard ordered that the domesday book should be complied at his christmas court in 1085. Domesday book 1086 the middle ages encompass one of the most exciting periods in english history. At the time the domesday book was compiled around 1087, wimbledon was part of the manor of mortlake, and so was not recorded. Poole and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Searchable index of landholders in 1066 and 1087, prosopography of anglosaxon england pase project. Domesday book is the most complete survey of a preindustrial society. From domesday book to magna carta, 10871216 austin lane. Generally around 120 acres, though the area varied depending on the quality of the land. The domesday book, our earliest public record, is a unique survey of the value and ownership of lands and resources in late 11th century england. Domesday book domesday book was unique in western europe and it set a standard.
Domesday book is the earliest, and by far the most famous, english public record. Hallam, domesday book through nine centuries london, 1986 a survey of how the domesday book has been used since its composition, and how antiquarians and historians have viewed the record. Rewriting history of englands domesday book of william i. The detailed picture of the english landscape it offers has no equal in any country, while it is valuable not only in the picture it allows local historians to construct of their area in the eleventh century but also as the foundation document of the national archives.
Tr introduction the first approach to a modern assessment roll or cataster is the well known. However, its usage continued following the ascendancy of the anglosaxons and the normans as was demonstrated by its many appearances in the domesday book of 1086. From domesday book to magna carta 10871216 oxford history of england. From domesday book to magna carta 10871216 the oxford history of england 9780192852878. Buy from domesday book to magna carta 10871216 the oxford history of england 2 by austin lane poole isbn. The actual name of the 2nd domesday was the return of owners of land, 1873.
It may have been abruptly halted in september 1087 when william i died, although the exact timeline for the compilation of the book is not clear and has been much debated by historians. Great domesday was probably not started much before the summer of 1086. Mosslands school year 7 history the norman conquest. The anglosaxon chronicle, e version, 1087, tells us he william i ruled over england, and by his cunning it was so investigated that there was not one hide of land in england that he did not know who owned it, and what it was worth, and. What is known as domesday book is in fact a composite work in two volumes. He had men go around the land and record who owned the land and all the property they had including such things as livestock, farm equipment, and mills. Although the great domesday book was left incomplete, the draft of the remaining unabbreviated work the east anglian circuit remains as the little domesday book see below. The aim of the great survey was to determine what or how much each landholder had in land and livestock, and how much it was worth. The volume opens with chapters in which the position of the monarchy and social and economic background of the period in its feudal. The following pages include domesday placenames and landowners, and beneath some are links to websites containing the local history of that place. Arable land was recorded in different units, including.
The domesday book article about the domesday book by the. The domesday book is the record of the great survey of much of england, and parts of wales, completed in 1086, done for william i of england, or william the conqueror the domesday book also known as domesday, or book of winchester was a record of all taxable land in england, together with such information as would indicate its worth. Rename this file and keep as a backup, then place the downloaded version in the domesday explorer directory. Broadway was a settlement in domesday book, in the hundred of pershore and the county of worcestershire. William needed information about the country he had just conquered so he could administer it.
Find out how to search for your town or village, and how to access images of domesday along with an english translation, using our research guide. Poole is one of the several volumes in the oxford history of england series which together make an edifice as ancient, venerable and monolithic as stonehenge. In 1087 william demanded from philip the return of the towns of chaumont, mantes, and pontoise. The first draft of the domesday book was completed in august 1086 and contained records for,418 settlements in the english counties south of the rivers ribble and tees the border with scotland at the time. One of the most important historical events of the medieval era is the domesday book. Traditionally, historians have pegged the date of completion for the domesday book as 1087. Along with a string of castles throughout england, the domesday book was to give william huge authority in england. The national archives recently announced that we are going to be loaning our earliest public record, domesday book, to the british library for the librarys forthcoming anglosaxon kingdoms exhibition. The name domesday book was not adopted until the late 12th century. Volume one, known as great or exchequer domesday, is an abbreviated version of the returns from 32 counties. Oxford at the clarendon press,second edition, reprinted 1987. The ownership of the manor of wimbledon changed hands many times during its history. Find out how it was compiled, and what it reveals about life in.
This information was all put into a single book called the domesday book. Although the great domesday book was left incomplete, the draft of the remaining unabbreviated work the east anglian circuit remains as the little domesday book. This would explain why he did not write up the return for the eastern circuit, which also survives in its original form and is known as little domesday book. From domesday book to magna carta 10871216 the oxford. The domesday book is a great land survey from 1086, commissioned by william the conqueror to assess the extent of the land and resources being owned in england at the time, and the extent of the taxes he could raise. How many books make up the whole of the domesday survey. Domesday book encompasses two independent works in, originally, two physical volumes. The domesday book is britains earliest public record and the most complete record to survive from the medieval world. People who migrated to britain from germany around 500 ce. Domesday book wilhelm erobrerens jordebog var normannernes grundlag for skatteopkr.
To further extend his grip on england, william i ordered that a. The domesday book is the record of the great survey of much of england, and parts of wales, completed in 1086, done for william i of england, or william the conqueror. Fiona discussed how the 2nd domesday presented the first complete picture of the distribution of landed property in the united kingdom of great britain and ireland since the domesday book of 1086. Apr 17, 2014 melvyn bragg and his guests discuss the domesday book, a vast survey of the land and property of much of england and wales completed in 1086. May 20, 2014 1085 and the compilation of the domesday book. The domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. Earnest and resourceful, william was not only one of the greatest of english monarchs but. On this page are an extracts of the 1087 domesday book as far as they are relevant to the stokeontrent area of north staffordshire.
Broadway broadway was a settlement in domesday book, in the hundred of abdick and the county of somerset. The record was compiled in 10861087, a mere twenty years after the norman conquest, at the order of william the conqueror. Domesday book simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Of these towns, the two largest, london and winchester, were left out of the domesday book entirely. You can also see this iconic document in the first episode of cunk on britain, the new series on bbc2. The precise purpose of the enterprise is not known but the most likely reason was to determine who legally owned what land, to settle disputes of ownership and to measure. Stamey the royalmilitarycollege of canada fromdomesday bookto magnacarta, 1087 1216.
William commissioned the book to assess the extent of the land owned in england, and the extent of the taxes he could raise. The site provides information about the 1086 domesday survey, the domesday book, background information on life in england at the time, links. Domesday book of 1085 badequella bakewell, derbyshire. It is the record of a survey which, according to the anglosaxon chronicle, william the conqueror ordered to be taken at christmas 1085.
Before he died in 1087, william the conqueror ordered a survey of all the land in england and parts of wales. If you have a local history site that you would like to be included on these pages please get in touch via the contact page. Searchable historical themes and world events from the last two thousand years. The domesday book is actually not one book but two.
One, known as little domesday, covers norfolk, suffolk and essex. A ploughland terra carucis or carucata was the area that could be ploughed by eight oxen in a year. The domesday book, recording the first english census. Domesday book to magna carta is no domesday book to magna carta 10871215 by austin l. Media in category domesday book the following 38 files are in this category, out of 38 total.
Of the principle six towns of the city only burslem and fenton are in existence at the time. Bbc two the story of britain, the domesday book animation. The domesday book was commissioned in december 1085 by william the conqueror, who invaded england in 1066. Domesday book also known as domesday, or book of winchester was the record of the great survey of england completed in 1086, executed for william the conqueror. Domesday book, compiled in 1086 at the behest of william the conqueror, has been described as the most valuable piece of antiquity possessed by any nation david hume and viewed by historians as the final act of the norman conquest. Commissioned by william the conqueror in the year 1085 and finished in 1086, the book is a superb example of thorough and speedy administration, unequaled by any other project undertaken during the middle ages.
The first draft was completed in august 1086 and contained records for,418 settlements in the english counties south of the rivers ribble and. It is possible that news of williams death, on 9 september 1087, brought the scribes work to an abrupt end. The system introduced by william to ensure loyalty. The population of the entire country was probably between 1. The survey was similar to a census by a government of today. Winchester was the norman capital as it had been of the saxons, so the treasury was there at that time. Historian tells new story about englands venerated. There were only 18 towns of over 2000 inhabitants in the domesday england of 1086. It had a recorded population of 7 households in 1086, putting it in the smallest 40% of settlements recorded in domesday. What can we learn about england in the 11th century. In 1086 william the conquerer commanded a survey of the country for taxation purposes. From domesday book to magna carta 1087 1216 by poole a l. The domesday book one of the most valuable records of the uks past history.
1177 972 1185 1491 725 1232 563 46 1239 197 591 358 1036 221 1161 1471 1024 59 685 1423 1293 989 590 773 544 1059 360 208 1466 458 532 1133 1098 686 200 425 353 417 1179