Domesday Book (Penguin Classic): A Complete Translation (Penguin Classics) - Softcover

Martin, G. H.; Williams, Ann

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141439947 ISBN 13: 9780141439945

Publisher: Penguin Classics, 2004

Synopsis

Domesday Book is one of the most famous documents in English history—and arguably in world history. 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 was compiled in a matter of months in 1086, at the end of William the Conqueror’s life. According to a first-hand account by Robert, Bishop of Hereford, those sent out by the king “. . . made a survey of all England; of the lands in each of the countries; of the possessions of each of the magnates, their lands, their habitations, their men.” 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 their area in the eleventh century but also as the foundation document of the national archives.

“Domesday Book is the book of English history. No other country in the world possesses such a detailed single record from so far back . . . A must for scholars and history buffs everywhere.”—Michael Wood

“Domesday Book is not only one of the most important documents in English history: it is one of the most extraordinary documents in any country’s history”—Lady Antonia Fraser

“The most detailed survey of a kingdom before the modern age . . . Now a new translation has been published in one volume, offering a unique picture of an early medieval society.”—The Times Educational Supplement

About this title

About the Author

G. H. Martin (1928–2007) was a British scholar and historian who taught at University College, Leicester, and Merton College, Oxford. He also served as Keeper of the Public Records from 1982 to 1988 and helped found the Association of Commonwealth Archivists. He cotranslated Domesday Book, which is a foundation document of the British National Archives. 

Ann Williams is a British historian and author specializing in English medieval history. She was a senior lecturer in medieval history at the Polytechnic of North London. She is the author of numerous books, including Dictionary of Dark Age Britain, The English and the Norman Conquest, and The World Before Domesday.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

III. The land of the Bishop of London

In 'Ossulstone' HUNDRED the Bishop of London holds STEPNEY [for] 32 hides. There is land for 25 ploughs. To the demesne belong 14 hides, and there are 3 ploughs; and 22 ploughs among the villans. There are 44 villans each on 1 virgate, and 7 villans each on half a hide, and 9 villans each on half a virgate, and 46 cottars on 1 hide: they pay 30s a year. There are 4 mills rendering £4.16s less 4d, meadow for 25 ploughs, pasture for the livestock of the vill and [rendering] 15s, [and] woodland for 500 pigs and [rendering] 40s. In all it is worth £48: and when received, the same: TRE £50. This manor belonged and belongs to the bishopric.

It the same vill Hugh de Bernieres holds under the bishop 5 hides and 1 virgate of land. There is land for 4 ploughs. In demesne [is] 1 plough: and the villans [have] 3 ploughs. There is l villan on half a hide, and 6 villans on 3 virgate, and 2 bordars on half a virgate, and 3 cottars on 21/2 acres, and 1 mill rendering 66s8d. [There is] meadow for 4 ploughs, [and] woodland for 150 pigs and [rendering] 3s6d. All together it is worth £6; when received, the same; TRE £7. Sigeræd held 21/2 hides of this manor. He was a canon of St Paul's. He could give and sell them to whom he would without the bishop's permission. TRE the canon of St Paul's held 21/2 hides for their demesne sustenance and Doding held 1 virgate and 1 mill from the bishop's own manor. He could not give or sell it except with his permission.

In the same vill the wife of Brian holds 5 hides of the bishop. There is land for 21/2 ploughs. In demesne is 1 plough; and there could be 1 plough among the villans. There 1 villan on half a hide pays 4s a year for his house, and another villan on half a hide pays 8s. Roger the sheriff holds half a hide. and 15 bordars on 10 acres pay 9s. [There is] woodland for 60 pigs, [and] pasture for the livestock of the vill and [rendering] 5s.
All together it is worth 60s; when received, the same; TRE 100s. Bishop William held this land in demesne, in the manor of Stepney, on the day on which King Edward was alive and dead.

In the same vill Ranulph Flambard holds 31/2 hides of the bishop.

|Folio 127V: MIDDLESEX]

There is land for 5 ploughs. There are in demesne 2 ploughs; and 3 ploughs among the villans. There are 14 bordars on 11/2 hides. [There is] meadow for 2 ploughs and [rendering] 2s. There is no pasture. [There is] a wood for making fences. All together it is worth £4: when received, the same: TRE 100s. Godwine held this land under Bishop William. He could not give or sell it without the bishop's permission TRE.

In the same vill William de Vere holds 1 hide of the bishop. There is land for 1 plough, and there is [1 plough] in demesne. This land is worth 16s; when received, the same; TRE 20s. Bishop William held this land in demesne with his manor of Stepney TRE.

In the same vill Engelbert the canon holds of the bishop 1 hide and 1 virgate. There is land for 1 plough, and there is [1 plough] in demesne. There is 1 villan on 1 virgate, and 4 bordars each on 7 acres, and 1 cottar. All together it is worth 40s; when received, the same; TRE 50s. The same canon held of Bishop William TRE. He could not sell it.

In the same vill the Bishop of Lisieux holds 11/2 hides of the Bishop of London. There is land for 1 plough, and there is half a plough and there could be half [a plough more]. There are 2 bordars each on 5 acres, and 2 cottars on 4 acres, and 1 cottar. All together it is worth 40s: when received, the same; TRE 50s. Bishop William held this land in demesne on the day on which King Edward was alive and dead.

In the same vill William the chamberlain holds of the bishop 11/2 hides and 1 virgate. There is land for 11/2 ploughs. There is in demesne 1 plough, and there could be half [a plough more]. There is 1 villan on 1 virgate, and 6 bordars on 5 acres. All together it is worth 30s; when received, the same; TRE 40s. Bishop William held this land in demesne on the day on which King Edward died.

In the same [vill] Ælfric Chacepul holds 1 hide of the bishop. There is land for 1 plough, but the plough is wanting. This land is worth l0s; when received, the same; TRE 13s4d. Bishop William held this land in demesne TRE.

In the same vill Edmund son of Algot holds of the bishop 1 mill which is worth 32s6d; when received, the same, but it was not there TRE.

In the same vill Æthelwine, Beorhtmær's son, holds 1 mill which is worth 20s; when received, the same; TRE the same. He himself held it of Bishop William.

In FULHAM the Bishop of London holds 40 hides. There is land for 40 ploughs. To the demesne belong 13 hides, and there are 4 ploughs. Among the Frenchmen and the villans [are] 26 ploughs and there could be 10 more. There are 5 villans each [on] 1 hide, and 13 villans each on 1 virgate, and 34 villans each [on] half a virgate, and 22 cottars on half a hide, and 8 cottars with their gardens. Among the Frenchmen and certain burgesses of London [are] 23 hides of the land of the villans. Under them dwell 31 villans and bordars. [There is] meadow for 40 ploughs, [and] pasture for the livestock of the vill. From half a weir, l0s. [There is] woodland for 1,000 pigs and [rendering] 17d. In all it is worth £40; when received, the same; TRE £50. This manor belonged and belongs to the bishopric.

In the same vill Fulchred holds 5 hides of the Bishop of London. There is land for 3 ploughs. In demesne [is] 1 plough; and 1 plough among the villans, and there could be a third. There are 6 villans on half a hide, and 4 cottars on 8 acres, and 3 cottars. [There is] meadow for 1 ox, pasture for the livestock of the vill, [and] woodland for 300 pigs. In all it is worth 60s; when received, the same; TRE 100s. 2 sokemen held this land; they were the men of the Bishop of London. They could not give or sell it without the bishop's permission TRE.

In the same vill the canons of St Paul's hold 5 hides of the king as 1 manor. There is land for 5 ploughs. To the demesne belong 3 hides, and there are 2 ploughs. The villans [have] 2 ploughs, and there could be a third. There are 8 villans each on 1 virgate, and 7 villans each on half a virgate, and 7 bordars each on 5 acres, and 16 cottars and 2 slaves. [There is] meadow for 5 ploughs, pasture for the livestock of the vill, [and] woodland for 150 pigs. All together it is worth £8: when received, the same; TRE £10. The same canons of St Paul's held this manor in demesne TRE, and it is for their sustenance.
 
IN 'OSSULSTONE' HUNDRED

Durand, a canon of St Paul's, holds of the king 2 hides of land in TWYFORD. There is land for 11/2 ploughs. There are 3 villans on half a hide and half a virgate. [There is] pasture for the livestock of the vill, [and] woodland for 100 pigs. This land is worth 30s; when received, the same; TRE 20s.

In the same vill Gueri, a canon of St Paul's, holds 2 hides of land. There is land for 11/2 ploughs. In demesne is a plough, and there could be half [a plough more]. There are 2 villans on 1 virgate. and 1 bordar on 6 acres, and 3 cottars. [There is] woodland for 50 pigs. This land is worth 30s; when received, the same; TRE 20s. This manor belonged and belongs to St Paul's Church in the demesne of the canons.

The canons of St Paul's hold WILLESDEN. It was always assessed at 15 hides. There is land for 15 ploughs. There the villans [have] 8 ploughs, and there could be 7 [more]. There are 25 villans and 5 bordars. [There is] woodland for 500 pigs. In all it is worth £6.6s6d; when received, the same; TRE £12. The villans hold this manor at farm † of the canons†. There is nothing reckoned in demesne. This manor belonged to their demesne sustenance TRE.

The canons holds HARLESDEN as 1 manor. | It is assessed at 5 hides. | There is land for 4 ploughs. In demesne [are] 2 ploughs; and the villans [have] half a plough. There could be 11/2 ploughs. There are 12 villans each on 1 virgate, and 10 villans each on half a virgate. [There is] woodland for 100 pigs. All together it is worth 35s; when received, the same; TRE £4. TRE this manor belonged, as now, to the demesne of the canons of St Paul's.

Ralph the canon holds 'Rug Moor' [in St Pancras]. | It is assessed | at 2 hides. There is land for 11/2 ploughs. There is in demesne 1 plough, and there could be half a plough [more. There is] a wood for fences and [rendering] 4s. This land is worth 35s; when received, the same; TRE 40s. TRE it belonged, and it belongs now, to the demesne of the canons. |

[Folio 128: MIDDLESEX]

The canons of St Paul's hold 'TOTTENHAM COURT' [in St Pancras]. It was always assessed at 5 hides. There is land for 4 ploughs. There are 31/2 ploughs, and there could be half [a plough] more. There are 4 villans and 4 bordars. [There is] woodland for 150 pigs. and 20s from the herbage. In all it is worth £4; when received, the same; TRE 100s. This manor belonged and belongs to the demesne of St Paul's.

Near St Pancras the canons of St Paul's hold 4 hides. There is land for 2 ploughs. The villans have 1 plough, and there could be another plough. [There is] a wood for fences, [and] pasture for the livestock and [rendering] 20d. There are 4 villans who hold this land under the canons, and 7 cottars. In all it is worth 40s; when received, the same; TRE 60s. This manor belonged and belongs to the demesne of St Paul's.

In Islington the canons of St Paul's have 2 hides. [There is] land for 11/2...

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0141439947
• ISBN 13: 9780141439945
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 1456