2. The Doomsday Book the earliest
and most famous surviving public
record of the 11th century.
It is a detailed survey and
evaluation of the King’s lands.
It also show documentation of the
chief tenants land and all the
natural resources of the land.
This was a remarkable
achievement and there was
nothing in comparison till the 19th
century.
3. In 1066 the newly kinged William,
Duke of Normandy, after defeating
Harold II for the crown.
In 1085, William was threatened by
another England invasion by
Denmark and hired a army to
defend his keep. So in doing this he
needed to know how much money,
resources, and military he had.
So that very year he commenced a
survey to see what was taxable and
what his resources were.
4. Domesday is just a nickname that
comes from Biblical day of
Judgment, or “doomsday”. When
Christ will return and judge the
living and the dead.
The doomsday book has the final
word and no one can speak out
against it.
It was call Domesday till the late
12th century, and was called the
Winchester Roll or King’s Roll, and
Book of the Treasury.
5. The meaning of this text is:The King
(William) holds in demesne Earley (in
lordship – that is, by and for himself; he
has not let it out to a sub-tenant). Almar
(an Anglo-Saxon) held it in alod
(freehold) from King Edward. Then (in
1066, it was assessed for tax purposes)
at 5 hides, now (in 1086 it is assessed)
for (the equivalent of) 4 hides. (There is)
Land for use by 6 ploughs. In demesne
(on the lord’s land there is land for) 1
plough and (there are) 6 villans
(villagers) and 1 bordar (smallholder)
with 3 ploughs. There (are) 2 slaves
(owned by the King) and 1 site (or close)
in Reading (presumably owned by or
part of the manor) and (there are) 2
fisheries worth (rendering) 7s and 6d
(per year) and 20 acres of meadow.
(There is) Woodland for (feeding) 70
pigs. At the time of King Edward
(1066) it was worth 100s, and
afterwards (when William acquired the
manor) and now (1086) it is worth 50s.
6. The king sent people to every town
in England to survey the people.
The king had absolute power in the
middle ages. Today that is not
always true.
They were to evaluate every
persons land.
They were also supposed to record
all property.
7. This book was the first of its kind
that has been kept on record.
It wouldn’t be done again until a
while later.
Documented for the king to see
what resources he had for military
benefits.
King William I had to pay off war
debt.
He needed to know the financials
to his land.
8. This new land had just been
conquered by William I.
The land was divided between the
Normans and the church mostly.
The king used land to settle
differences.
The survey was a way of the king
to get to know his newly
conquered land.
