Produced at amazing speed in the years after the conquest, the domesday book provides a vivid picture of late 11thcentury england. May 21, 2016 this short three minute video covers what the domesday book is. Domesday book definition is a record of a survey of english lands and landholdings made by order of william the conqueror about 1086. This was the age of the county history, with many accounts of the english shires being published at this time, and domesday book, as a property record of early date that happened to be arranged by county, was a major source for the medieval history of.
Information was collected for seven large areas, or districts, in england. 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, our oldest and most famous public record, describes the condition of england south of the river tees in 1066 and 1086. Domesday book a brief material history in addition to enormous intangible and historical value, domesday is a precious object and work of art that elicits awe and curiosity. The domesday book compiled in 10856 is one of the few historical records whose name is familiar to most people in this country. Facsimile of the part relating to norfork by james, henry, sir, 18031877. Domesday book the name usually appears without an article reveals exactly. Domesday book the domesday book was a survey designed to record everything that people owned in england. Domesday book dictionary definition domesday book defined.
Domesday book simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The record was compiled in 10861087, a mere twenty years after the norman conquest, at the order of william the conqueror. The domesday book pdf,, download ebookee alternative reliable tips for a best ebook reading experience. You will get a pdf copy of part i and part ii of the campaign plus pdfs of the manor guide and the three dales book. The site provides information about the 1086 domesday survey, the domesday book, background information on life in england at the time, links. The domesday book is one of the most renowned, respected and revered public records ever to have been published. Domesday book is an example of survey, which covered much areas of britain. Domesday book was an item of great interest to the antiquarian movement of the 18th century. 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. 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. It enables us to reconstruct the politics, government, society and economy of 11thcentury england with greater precision than is possible for almost any other premodern polity. The survey was a massive enterprise, and the record of that survey, domesday book, was a remarkable achievement. Unlike the modern census records, the domesday book was designed not to count the numbers of the population.
The written record of a census and survey of english landowners and their property made by order of william the conqueror in. One of the most popular suggestions as to its purpose is that it was designed to create a record against which taxes could be raised for the countrys defence. Domesday is our most famous and earliest surviving public record. Domesday book, or, the great survey of england of william the conqueror a. The main manuscript, socalled great domesday, written by a single scribe, contains the final version of the surveys of all english counties south of the rivers ribble and tees, with the exception of norfolk, suffolk, and essex. By contemporaries the whole operation was known as the description of england, but the popular name domesdayi. Return of owners of lands conducted in 1873 was the only one, which beat the domesday book. Domesday book sources for research in english genealogy. 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 name domesday book, commonly applied from the 12th century ce. The domesday book was commissioned in december 1085 by william the conqueror, who invaded england in 1066. Domesday book synonyms, domesday book pronunciation, domesday book translation, english dictionary definition of domesday book. Domesday is by the far the most complete record of preindustrial society to survive anywhere in the world and provides a unique window on the medieval world.
This short three minute video covers what the domesday book is. Along with a string of castles throughout england, the domesday book was to give william huge authority in england. 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. Now available in one volume, here is the complete, authoritative translation from the original latin, together with an. The second survey is often called modern domesday book. The novel won both the hugo and nebula awards, and was shortlisted for other awards. Doomsday book is the first book in the oxford time travel series. T he domesday book is the result of a record made at the time of william the conquerors survey of england in 1086. Domesday book, the original record or summary of william is survey 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. One of the most important historical events of the medieval era is the domesday book. The royal treasury at winchester preserved the book in the end of 11th.
A pdf of part i of the domesday campaign a pdf of part ii of the domesday campaign a pdf of the manor guide a pdf of the three dales book less. It is a highly detailed survey and valuation of land holding and resources in late 11th century england. 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. Domesday book is one of the most famous documents in english historyand arguably in world history. Foy chichester, 1992, has comprehensive listings of all subjects, with their phillimore references. Why it was written and what was involved in making it. Sep 24, 2004 domesday book is one of the most famous documents in english historyand arguably in world history. These were then sent to the city of winchester and recorded in the final great domesday book. Aug 14, 2010 domesday book is the most complete survey of a preindustrial society anywhere in the world.
There is nothing like it in england until the censuses of the. Finn, an introduction to domesday book london, 1963, and h. The information was handwritten in the latin language. This is the first of two volumes offering for the first time an authoritative and complete prosopography of postconquest england, 10661166. It contains the results of a huge survey of land and landholding commissioned by william i in 1085. The majority of landholders in england at the time of the domesday book had accompanied william the conqueror from france in 1066, and were granted areas of land previously held by english natives. Domesday book definition, a record of a survey of the lands of england made by order of william the conqueror about 1086, giving ownership, extent, value, etc. It is our earliest public record, the foundation document of the. Domesday book is a manuscript record of the great survey of much of england and parts of wales completed in 1086 by order of king william the conqueror. The domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures.
Mar 05, 2015 the domesday book is one of medieval englands greatest treasures. Find out how it was compiled, and what it reveals about life in. Domesday book is the most complete survey of a preindustrial society anywhere in the world. Ordered to investigate how the country was occupied, and with what sort of people. 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.
In doomsday book, connie willis writes about kivrin, an historian who travels to 48 from the year 2054 in order to observe the culture of fourteenth century rural england. Based on extensive and wideranging research, the two volumes contain over eight thousand entries on persons occurring in the principal english administrative sources for the postconquest period domesday book, the pipe rolls, and cartae baronum. Doomsday book is a 1992 science fiction novel by american author connie willis. Great domesday the larger volume and little domesday the smaller volume, in their 1869 bindings, lie on their older tudor bindings. It is the starting point of recorded history for the majority of english villages and towns which are organized by county. It had a recorded population of 35 households in 1086, putting it. Domesday book was the result of the great survey commissioned by william the conqueror at gloucester at christmas 1085. Domesday book definition of domesday book by merriamwebster.
The first volume great domesday contains the final summarized record of all the counties surveyed except essex, norfolk, and suffolk. Nov 19, 2018 domesday book was compiled as a description of all england or all of normancontrolled england but a more precise motive than that has still not been agreed upon by scholars. Domesday landholders the majority of landholders in england at the time of the domesday book had accompanied william the conqueror from france in 1066, and were granted areas of land previously held by english natives. The domesday book is closely linked with william the conquerors attempt to dominate medieval england. The domesday book or, colloquially, domesday is the expression used since the late twelfth century to refer to the record of the great inquisition or survey of the lands of england, their extent, value, ownership, and liabilities, made by order of william the conqueror in 1086. Jun 05, 1992 doomsday book is the first book in the oxford time travel series. The domesday book is actually not one book but two. Mar 14, 20 the domesday book is one of the most renowned, respected and revered public records ever to have been published. Domesday book discover domesday the national archives.
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. Honiton was a settlement in domesday book, in the hundred of axminster and the county of devon. It had a recorded population of 35 households in 1086, putting it in the largest 20% of settlements recorded in domesday. It is also the oldest public record to have survived through the ages. After the norman invasion and conquest of england in 1066, the domesday book was commissioned in december 1085 by order of william the conqueror. To further extend his grip on england, william i ordered that a. The alphabetised list on the following pages contains brief notes on almost 200 of the most wellknown landholders at the time.
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. Due to an accident with the time travel device, kivrin arrives in time to witness firsthand the plague near oxford, recording her observations as she tries to survive. The domesday book is a record of an enormous survey carried out in england for king william i the conqueror, and it was completed in the year 1086. Domesday book definition of domesday book by the free. Domesday book 1086 the middle ages encompass one of the most exciting periods in english history. By contemporaries the whole operation was known as the description of.