Domesday book is the most famous english public record, and it is probably the most remarkable statistical document in the history of europe. In the middle ages most people lived in the countryside and made a living from farming. One of the main aims of the investigation was to quantify the assets of each individual and the taxes on these assets imposed during the reign of edward the. A number of towns were granted market status and had grown around local trades. Its survey, completed in 1086, gave an overview of population. Over 100 settlements were classified as borough status and the number of houses or burgesses were counted. Domesday book, but scrutiny of a range of manorial entries. The population of england at the time of domesday has been tentatively. William the conqueror commissioned the domesday book after his conquest of england in 1066. It calls itself merely a descriptio and it acquired its name in the following century because its authority seemed comparable to that of the book by which one day all will be judged revelation 20.
Domesday book, in english medieval settlement, edited by peter h. Before the domesday book was put together in 1086, no one really knew. Doomsday book is a 1992 science fiction novel by american author connie willis. 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. Unlike the modern census records, the domesday book was designed not to count the numbers of the population. There were only 18 towns of over 2000 inhabitants in the domesday england of 1086. It was intended to document what, or how much, each man had, who was an occupier of land in england, either in. 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. The domesday book online frequently asked questions. 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. According to the domesday book, over ten percent of englands population in 1086 were slaves. About 90 per cent of places on the modern map of england south of the tees are recorded in domesday book. Its main purpose was to assess the wealth of england to aid the system of taxation.
Domesday book life in towns and villages the national archives. Here are some facts about domesday book, the great norman survey of the wealth of england. 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. Domesday book sources for research in english genealogy.
Mar 05, 2015 the domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures. Bates, a bibliography of domesday book woodbridge, 1986 v. The domesday book does not cover certain important cities, such as london, winchester, bristol and the borough of tamworth. The domesday book early englands most important document dec 21, 2018 patricia grimshaw the battle of hastings in 1066 marked the start of william the conquerors rule over england when he defeated the anglosaxon king harold ii on the battlefield. Earnest and resourceful, william was not only one of the greatest of english monarchs but. Whatever was recorded in domesday book was legally binding. The domesday book was a survey designed to record everything that people owned in england. The duchy of normandy was formed by the treaty of saintclairsurepte in 911 between king charles iii of the west franks and rollo also. A history since the domesday survey arnold publication by andrew hinde isbn. 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 as the scribes went round england, they were protected. Kivrin engle, the main character, says that her recording is a record of life in the middle ages, which is what william the conquerors survey turned out to be.
It may have reached about 5 or 6 million by the end of the th century. The book showed about 200 normans controlled all the land of england. The domesday book early englands most important document. The world of domesday exhibition depicts life in 11th century england. Sep 24, 2004 domesday book is one of the most famous documents in english historyand arguably in world history. It records who held the land and how it was used, and also includes information on how this had changed since the norman conquest in. The purpose of the book was to count the land, livestock and worth of each landholder. Associated with the reign of william the conqueror, the domesday book was created to provide the king with a means of maintaining control over medieval england. Domesday book, the original record or summary of william is survey of england. You can also access domesday classroom resources for teachers, suitable for key stage 3 and key stage 2.
The novel won both the hugo and nebula awards, and was shortlisted for other awards. It has been cited as an example of digital obsolescence on account of the physical medium used for data storage. Galbraith, the making of domesday book oxford, 1961 e. Early censustaking in england and wales office for national. At the time it was called the winchester book, but later became better. The preplague population of england sometime in the period 048, english population reached its high point in the middle ages. The domesday book penned by brandon blackmoor, based on medieval demographics made easy by s. This first english census, considered by some as the most remarkable administrative accomplishment of the middle ages, provides a record of english social. It was intended to document what, or how much, each man had, who was an occupier of land in england, either in land or in stock, and how much money it were worth. Of these towns, the two largest, london and winchester, were left out of the domesday book entirely.
Harrison has pointed out that from this unique document we have an unparalleled picture of early medieval society in england, including much about the. The survey was ordered by william the conqueror at christmas 1085 and undertaken the following year. Dec 21, 2018 the domesday book early englands most important document dec 21, 2018 patricia grimshaw the battle of hastings in 1066 marked the start of william the conquerors rule over england when he defeated the anglosaxon king harold ii on the battlefield. T he domesday book is the result of a record made at the time of william the conquerors survey of england in 1086.
The name domesday book, commonly applied from the 12th century ce, may derive from doom, the term for a customary law in anglosaxon england, or be a reference to the day of judgement, referred to in the bibles book of revelation, reminding that the records in domesday book were final and could not be disputed. Norwich, york and lincoln, with populations of between 4,000 and 5,000 each. The domesday book helped keep track of people in england during the middle ages. The population of the entire country was probably between. The domesday book is one of the most renowned, respected and revered public records ever to have been published. Its course in the first half of the century, however, is the subject of two sharply divergent opinions. It is the starting point of recorded history for the majority of english villages and towns which are organized by county. The domesday book was a survey, or census, commissioned by the norman conqueror king william i, of his newly conquered lands and possessions in england. Surnames mentioned in the domesday book british surnames. Watermills were the most economically important machines in 11th. Various calculations of the population of late eleventhcentury england have been made from. The domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures. To further extend his grip on england, william i ordered that a. Also notable is the reduction in importance of winchester, the anglosaxon capital city of wessex although not a direct measure of population, the lay subsidy rolls of 34.
Domesday book is the oldest government record held. About a hundred years after it was produced the book became known as the domesday book. It is the record of a survey which, according to the anglosaxon chronicle, william the conqueror ordered to be taken at christmas 1085. List of towns and cities in england by historical population.
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. It was ordered by william the conqueror the winner of the recent battle of hastings so that william could determine how much money in taxes he could raise and to give william a better sense of the territory he had just conquered. 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. A history since the domesday survey arnold publication 9780340761908. Aug 14, 2010 about 90 per cent of places on the modern map of england south of the tees are recorded in domesday book. Domesday book was ordered by william the conqueror william i in 1085. The title of the book refers to the domesday book of 1086. The population of england at the time of domesday has been tentatively estimated at between 1. Here are other interesting facts about domesday book. The investigation was carried out by order of william the conqueror. The national archives is the home of domesday book, the oldest surviving public record. Domesday book simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Domesday book facts, summary, composition, creation.
It provided an important source of information for historians. Domesday book is the earliest, and by far the most famous, english public record. In the 11th century, surnames were still in a state of flux and many people still did not have what we would consider a. How did the domesday book help william i control england. Domesday book is a detailed survey and valuation of landed property in england at the end of the 11th century. All agree that it rose rapidly in the thirteenth century and dropped catastrophically in 4877.
Facts about domesday book talk about a manuscript record created under the order of king william the conqueror. 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. By the start of the 14th century the structure of most english towns had changed considerably since the norman conquest. The normans who invaded and settled in normandy, the northwest region of modern france, in the 8th10th century were descendants of vikings from the northern countries of europe danish, norwegian, orkney. The officials took over a year to visit,000 villages. The book is also called as great survey for it covers the information in many parts of wales and england. William needed to raise taxes to pay for his army and so a survey was set in motion to assess the wealth and and assets of his subjects throughout the land. Domesday book is a manuscript that collects the results of a large census carried out in england and in wales in 1086. At the time of the domesday book 1086 england probably had a population of about 2 million. After the norman invasion and conquest of england in 1066, the domesday book was commissioned in december 1085 by order of william the conqueror. Now available in one volume, here is the complete, authoritative translation from the original latin, together with an index of places and a glossary of terms used.
Domesday book was compiled in ad 1086 for william the conqueror. It does not record names, nor does it give accurate population statistics, but it does give us an indication of the size of badsey, aldington and wickhamford. 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 covers all of england except the northern areas. The domesday book was a complete written record of property ownership across england, and was completed in less than a year. He also wanted to discover how much tax he was owed and knew a. What can we learn about england in the 11th century. It records the number of households, the economic resources, who owned the land, and the tax paid to the king, for almost every settlement in england. Here is subscribed the inquisition of lands as the barons of the king have made inquiry into them. Along with a string of castles throughout england, the domesday book was to give william huge authority in england. The domesday book is closely linked with william the conquerors attempt to dominate medieval england. Soldiers threatened to kill people if they did not tell the truth. It is also the oldest public record to have survived through the ages. Domesday book article about domesday book by the free.
Mar 14, 20 the domesday book is one of the most renowned, respected and revered public records ever to have been published. In 1086, william the conqueror ordered the creation of the domesday book, a systematic survey of the kingdom of england. The domesday book was commissioned in december 1085 by william the conqueror, who invaded england in 1066. 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. Used alone, the term usually refers to a population censusthe type to be described in this. For the medieval period hinde provides discussions of the domesday book and its value as a basis for estimating the size of the english population in the eleventh century.