In 1086, king william i the conqueror wanted to find out about all the land in his new kingdom. 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. Why it was written and what was involved in making it. Domesday book domesday book was unique in western europe and it set a standard. 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 within. For these three counties the full, unabbreviated return sent in to winchester by the commissioners is preserved in the second volume little domesday, which. By contemporaries the whole operation was known as the description of england, but the popular name domesday i. Volume one, known as great or exchequer domesday, is an abbreviated version of the returns from 32 counties. The domesday book is actually not one book but two. Domesday book stands accused of isolation and its his. Domesday book facts, summary, composition, creation.
The domesday book is closely linked with william the conquerors attempt to dominate medieval england. 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. To further extend his grip on england, william i ordered that a. Domesday book was ordered by william the conqueror william i in 1085. 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. The existing literature on this remarkable memorial is so extensive, that it has not appeared advisable to quote largely from it. 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. In 1085, king william i of england ordered a complete survey of all the land and property in the country. Domesday book and anglonorman governance volume 25 sally p. Tolentone was owned by ranulf brother of ilger and included all the areas north and east of canonbury and holloway road. The domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures.
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. The doomsday book legal definition of the doomsday book. Facts about domesday book talk about a manuscript record created under the order of king william the conqueror. The novel won both the hugo and nebula awards, and was shortlisted for other awards. Domesday book is an example of survey, which covered much areas of britain. The domesday book legal definition of the domesday book. He could collect in terms of taxes and the results of this survey were. 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.
By contemporaries the whole operation was known as the description of england, but the popular name domesdayi. Though invariably called domesday book, in the singular, it in fact consists of. The survey was similar to a census by a government of today. It is a highly detailed survey and valuation of all the land held by the king, william the conqueror, and his.
The second survey is often called modern domesday book. The first volume great domesday contains the final summarized record of all the counties surveyed except essex, norfolk, and suffolk. Domesday book encompasses two independent works in, originally, two physical volumes. For anyone interested in where they live now or where they come from, domesday reveals fascinating facts about customs, value and ownership of their village, town and county more than 900 years ago. Domesday book county edition enquire about this book. 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. The battle of hastings was fought for the crown of england between william, duke of normandy and the recently. 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 continue reading domesday book. Domesday book fact file fact file a blog about facts.
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. It was ordered by william the conqueror the winner of the. The book is also called as great survey for it covers the information in many parts of wales and england. Here are some facts about domesday book, the great norman survey of the wealth of england. It took two years to collect all the information for this survey. It has 9 pages in it and two million latin words and it. 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. A complete translation domesday book is one of the most famous documents in english history.
Doomsday book quotes showing 114 of 14 i wanted to come, and if i hadnt, they would have been all alone, and nobody would have ever known how frightened and brave and irreplaceable they were. At over 900 years old, domesday is the earliest surviving public record and the foundation document of the national archives. Important facts about the domesday book 1086 interesting information and important facts about the domesday book. Domesday book domesday book is the oldest government record held in the national archives. Domesday definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Improve your knowledge on the domesday book with fun facts for kids. Domesday extract page 6 an interactive introduction to the domesday book and the language used at the time. The book of winchester was the domesday book compiled by officials of william the conqueror on his orders and published c1086. Domesday doomsday, judgment day received its name in the 12th century, for it was regarded as the ultimate authority, the last word on matters of property. 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 domesday book was a survey designed to record everything that people owned in england. These pages can be accessed from the links in the bar above as you move around them. The domesday book was an incredibly useful resource and for many years, centuries, it was the final word on the title to land. Along with a string of castles throughout england, the domesday book was to give william huge authority in england.
It was probably for the purpose of recording taxes and determining military service in a feudal system. Contents explore records for towns and villages from the domesday book landowners information about the landowners featured in the records of the domesday book domesday history events in the domesday book s history through the past 900 years. Return of owners of lands conducted in 1873 was the only one, which beat the domesday book. May 21, 2016 this short three minute video covers what the domesday book is. 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 area now known as islington was part of the larger manor of tolentone, which is mentioned in the domesday book. Domesday book simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The domesday book is the national archives oldest and most famous public record. In fact there are two domesday books little domesday and about england in the 11th century.
The domesday book county edition addison publications. The purpose of the book was to count the land, livestock and worth of each landholder. The title of the book refers to the domesday book of 1086. Domesday book of 1085 badequella bakewell, derbyshire. Sussex the following pages include domesday placenames and landowners, and beneath some are links to websites containing the local history of that place. Its main purpose was to assess the wealth of england to aid the system of taxation. Doomsday book is a 1992 science fiction novel by american author connie willis. Contents explore records for towns and villages from the domesday book landowners information about the landowners featured in the records of the domesday book domesday history events in the domesday books history through the past 900 years. Domesday is a most remarkable and valuable record, created in 10851086 by order of william the conqueror, so that he might fully know and understand the nation he. 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. They recorded who owned the land, who lived on it, the type of livestock, the value and taxes. The document was first held in winchester and then moved to westminster.
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. The national archives education service domesday book. It is also the starting point for most local historians researching the history of their area. What is known as domesday book is in fact a composite work in two volumes. The royal treasury at winchester preserved the book in the end of 11th. Produced at amazing speed in the years after the conquest, the domesday book provides a vivid picture of late 11thcentury england. Domesday book, the original record or summary of william is survey of england. The remaining km 2 is divided among wilderness, rivers, lakes, and the like. 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. William needed information about the country he had just conquered so he could administer it. Whatever was recorded in domesday book was legally binding. Indeed this is the reason for its name domesday book.
Thanks to the anglosaxon chronicle it is known that the census was planned in 1085, and it was completed in 1086. In 1086 william made a land register of his territory to know how much money. Mar 05, 2015 the domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures. This is an entry for dunwich, suffolk, in the domesday book. This short three minute video covers what the domesday book is. Find out more about the first public survey of england and learn more from dk findout. Uploaded by the open domesday project, released under ccbysa by professor john palmer and george slater. Background information and images page 3 background information to the domesday book, ideal for introducing the subject to the class. Winchester was the norman capital as it had been of the saxons, so the treasury was there at that time. Domesday book and anglonorman governance transactions of. Tr introduction the first approach to a modern assessment roll or cataster is the well known. The middle english spelling of domesday is doomsday. Find out how it was compiled, and what it reveals about life in.