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. An overview of the greater domesday book and little domesday book. Domesday book is preserved in the national archives tna, previously named the public record office. These were little domesday covering norfolk, suffolk, and essex, and great domesday covering much of the remainder of england and parts of wales. The chief interest of the domesday book for us here lies in the light which it throws upon church matters. The domesday book county edition addison publications. It has been cited as an example of digital obsolescence on account of the physical medium used for data storage. The domesday book digital domesday addison publications. Domesday book the domesday book was a survey designed to record everything that people owned in england. Domesday book was the result of the great survey commissioned by william the conqueror at gloucester at christmas 1085. No survey approaching the scope and extent of domesday book was. The record was compiled in 10861087, a mere twenty years after the norman conquest, at the order of william the conqueror. The results were compiled into two books which are called the domesday book. Domesday book is thus the oldest surviving national census in europe, even if the lower classes were not represented by name.
The document was first held in winchester and then moved to westminster. Still, for any historian of medieval england, the domesday book is an invaluable resource, which can be used to study the economics and social history of the period, how the royal government. Domesday book is the most complete survey of a preindustrial society anywhere in the world. Its main purpose was to assess the wealth of england to aid the system of taxation. 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. He needed information about the country he had just conquered so he could administer it. 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.
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. This page simply lists all places mentioned in domesday book. After compiling the domesday book, william knew how many manors there were. Facts about domesday book talk about a manuscript record created under the order of king william the conqueror.
As professor maitland has pointed out, a comparison of domesday with our earliest charters shows not only that the church held lands of considerable, sometimes of vast, extent, but that she had obtained these lands by free grant from kings or underkings during the saxon. Domesday book is one of the most famous historical records held by the national archives. In 1086, king william i the conqueror wanted to find out about all the land in his new kingdom. Whatever was recorded in domesday book was legally binding. The domesday book was a survey designed to record everything that people owned in england. It took two years to collect all the information for this survey.
As the scribes went round england, they were protected by williams armed men. Domesday book domesday book is the oldest government record held in the national archives. Remarkably, three original manuscripts of domesday book survive. The domesday book is actually not one book but two. The domesday book was commissioned in december 1085 by william the conqueror, who invaded england in 1066. Domesday book covers all of england except the northern areas. Domesday book facts, summary, composition, creation. The investigation was carried out by order of william the conqueror. Domesday book encompasses two independent works in, originally, two physical volumes.
Volume i great domesday contains the final summarized record of all the counties surveyed except essex, norfolk, and suffolk. The first and larger volume of the survey, known as great domesday, deals with the counties of england south of the river tees and the fells of westmorland. 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. 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 book is also called as great survey for it covers the information in many parts of wales and england. Domesday book was actually composed of two volumes. Domesday book county edition enquire about this book. Key stage 3 focus on domesday the national archives. 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. Or, the great survey of england of william the conqueror a. Important facts about the domesday book 1086 interesting information and important facts about the domesday book. Domesday book is a manuscript that collects the results of a large census carried out in england and in wales in 1086.
Domesday book article about domesday book by the free. The bbc domesday reloaded blog is the place to explore, share, reminisce and comment on stories from the national project from both 1986 to present day. What type of intermolecular forces are expected between pooh3 molecules3. Compiled in 10867 ce by william the conqueror as a survey of land and property ownership across norman england. Focus on domesday domesday book is one of the most famous historical records held by the national archives. Until it was rebound in 1986, domesday book consisted of two volumes, distinctive in appearance and content, each of different origin. Winchester was the norman capital as it had been of the saxons, so. The domesday book listed every piece of property in england so the new norman government could be sure that it was collecting all the property taxes due it. Here are some facts about domesday book, the great norman survey of the wealth of england. 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.
By contemporaries the whole operation was known as the description of. Domesday book digital domesday enquire about this book. 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. 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, the original record or summary of william is survey of england. Little domesday contained the three counties of essex, norfolk and suffolk. The book of winchester was the domesday book compiled by officials of william the conqueror on his orders and published c1086. Exon domesday is a fair copy of returns for the southwestern counties. Given the extent to which our knowledge of our past depends upon it, few. The first volume great domesday contains the final summarized record of all the counties surveyed except essex, norfolk, and suffolk. Domesday book was ordered by william the conqueror william i in 1085. In 1085, king william i of england ordered a complete survey of all the land and property in the country. Domesday book evidence activity doc domesday book evidence activity pdf make a class domesday book activity doc make a. The national archives education service domesday book.
Every theory as to the making of domesday book has some difficulties to overcome. The national archives is the home of domesday book, the oldest surviving. Earnest and resourceful, william was not only one of the greatest of english monarchs but a pivotal figure in european history as well. This fantastic pack contains our domesday book resources brilliant for your lessons. The record is unique in european history and, packed full of statistics and snippets which reveal details of medieval life in england, it continues to. 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. The book is an invaluable primary source for modern historians and historical economists. From these documents the kings clerks compiled a summary, which is domesday book. 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. This digital domesday is the only version of the domesday manuscripts to provide access to highresolution images of all folios from great and little domesday. William wanted to know how much his kingdom was worth and how much taxation he could command. But whatever may have been the exact process by which domesday book was compiled, it remains an astonishing product of the conquerors administration, reflecting at once the problems with which he was faced, and the character of his rule. There are actually two separate domesday books, the little domesday and the great domesday book. An exploration of life post1066, the rule of king william and the compilation of the domesday book.
By contemporaries the whole operation was known as the description of england, but the popular name domesdayi. The middle english spelling of domesday is doomsday. The anglosaxon chronicle states while spending the christmas time of 1085 in gloucester, william had deep speech with his. Domesday book is actually composed of two volumes, with here shown the larger of the two, the great domesday book.
The images were taken from the 10 x 8 inch transparencies shot in 1985 at the time the 4 folios. 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. Though invariably called domesday book, in the singular, it in fact consists of two volumes quite different from each other. The document is also known as the doomsday book, the book of winchester and the great survey. The name domesday book was not adopted until the late 12th century. Domesday book books and articles for which domesday book is the major source or the major concern have been grouped under eleven major headings. Domesday book dictionary definition domesday book defined. Under the feudal system all manors had to provide taxes and soldiers to the king. Read more inspire your inbox sign up for daily fun facts about this day in history, updates, and special offers.