The middle english spelling of domesday is doomsday. The king wanted to know the amount of taxes received when king edward the confessor was on the throne. Used for many centuries for administrative and legal purposes, the domesday book is the starting point for most local historians researching the history of their. Domesday book is the oldest government record held in the national archives. Uploaded by the open domesday project, released under ccbysa by professor john palmer and george slater. The national archives education service domesday book. Important facts about the domesday book 1086 interesting information and important facts about the domesday book. The domesday book was commissioned in december 1085 by william the conqueror, who invaded england in 1066. Domesday book domesday book was unique in western europe and it set a standard. Find out how it was compiled, and what it reveals about life in. It took two years to collect all the information for this survey.
The domesday book is closely linked with william the conquerors attempt to dominate medieval england. In fact there are two domesday books little domesday and about england in the 11th century. 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. Facts and information whatever was recorded in domesday book was legally binding. 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. In 1085, king william i of england ordered a complete survey of all the land and property in the country. Interesting information and important factsabout the domesday book. You can find the native terms and abbreviated works. Chichester, 19741992 the english translations for the great domesday counties, together with images of the latin text, are available in searchable form on cd, known as domesday explorer, published by phillimore and co.
What is known as domesday book is in fact a composite work in two volumes. If ownership of property was disputed, whatever was recorded. It was ordered by william the conqueror the winner of the. The questions found in the ely inquest are as follows. 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. Sussex the following pages include domesday placenames and landowners, and beneath some are links to websites containing the local history of that place. Domesday book simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
William needed information about the country he had just conquered so he could administer it. One, known as little domesday, covers norfolk, suffolk and essex. Domesday book was mainly about the great survey which applied on parts of wales and england. He could collect in terms of taxes and the results of this survey were. 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. The domesday book was compiled on the orders of william the conquerer to catalogue the ownership and value of land in the newly conquered territories of england. The document was first held in winchester and then moved to westminster. Pronunciation of domesday book with 3 audio pronunciations, 3 synonyms, 1 meaning, 5 translations, 6 sentences and more for domesday book. The document is also known as the doomsday book, the book of winchester and the great survey. Cronne wrote a valuable survey of the medieval borough in his. In fact there are two domesday books little domesday and great domesday, which together contain a great deal of information about england in the 11th. Domesday book is an example of survey, which covered much areas of britain.
It has 9 pages in it and two million latin words and it. The domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures. Along with a string of castles throughout england, the domesday book was to give william huge authority in england. There is no mention of it in domesday book, but it is highly. The domesday book one of the most valuable records of the uks past history. Little domesday covering east anglia and great domesday. To further extend his grip on england, william i ordered that a. Volume one, known as great or exchequer domesday, is an abbreviated version of the returns from 32 counties. The first, called little domesday, covers essex, norfolk, and suffolk. How many hides are there what is its tax assessment.
A complete translation domesday book is one of the most famous documents in english history. Return of owners of lands conducted in 1873 was the only one, which beat the domesday book. In fact there are two domesday books little domesday and great domesday, which together contain a great deal of information about england in the 11th century. The importance of counties in the structure of government explains their central role in the organisation of domesday book. Though invariably called domesday book, in the singular, it in fact consists of. 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. The document is also known as the doomsday book, the book of winchester and the great survey the middle english spelling of domesday is doomsday the document was first held in winchester and then moved to westminster what is the. The domesday book was a survey designed to record everything that people owned in england. The domesday book gave the names of king williams friends and even listed the number of pigs on a piece of land. There were 357 places in the county of staffordshire in domesday book. Earl roger of shrewsbury bishop g eoffrey of coutances. For these three counties the full, unabbreviated return sent in to winchester by the commissioners is preserved in the second volume little domesday, which.
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. Domesday book domesday book is the oldest government record held in the national archives. The domesday book is actually not one book but two. 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. The domesday book is the national archives oldest and most famous public record. The information collected was recorded by hand in two huge books, in the space of around a year. In 1086 william made a land register of his territory to know how much money. Doomsday book quotes connie willis this study guide consists of approximately 35 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of doomsday book. In the seventeenth century, domesday book was seen as evidence of the norman yoke, the root of royal absolutism and tyranny. The second survey is often called modern domesday book.
In 1086 william the conquerer commanded a survey of the country for taxation purposes. Produced at amazing speed in the years after the conquest, the domesday book provides a vivid picture of late 11thcentury england. Mar 05, 2015 the domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures. The battle of hastings was fought for the crown of england between william, duke of normandy and the recently. Here are some facts about domesday book, the great norman survey of the wealth of england. By contemporaries the whole operation was known as the description of england, but the popular name domesday i.
Rename this file and keep as a backup, then place the downloaded version in the domesday explorer directory. Domesday book of 1085 badequella bakewell, derbyshire. The royal treasury at winchester preserved the book in the end of 11th. Domesday book facts, summary, composition, creation.
Grinsell, a brief numismatic history of bristol 1962, is a useful. Major cities like london and winchester are also not in the domesday book, perhaps because of their size, or because not owning land, the people could not be taxed. A contribution to british municipal history see other formats. It is a highly detailed survey and valuation of all the land held by the king, william the conqueror, and his. The first draft 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.
How many plough teams on the demesne local lords own land and among the men rest. Surnames mentioned in the domesday book british surnames. Improve your knowledge on the domesday book with fun facts for kids. Known as the domesday book, this survey contained all the details of the names of places, the number of people, goods, and animals, and the use and the owners of the land. 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. In the 11th century, surnames were still in a state of flux and many people still did not have what we would consider a surname. Domesday book contains fascinating information such as land ownership, livestock and even local customs. The survey was similar to a census by a government of today.
The domesday book is actually composed of two independent works. 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. Domesday book, the original record or summary of william is survey of england. The first volume great domesday contains the final summarized record of all the counties surveyed except essex, norfolk, and suffolk. The domesday book records details of a survey of land ownership and taxation that was completed in 1086 under the direction of william the conqueror. Find out more about the first public survey of england and learn more from dk findout. In 1086, king william i the conqueror wanted to find out about all the land in his new kingdom.
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