SOURCE A - Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 1085
After this had the king a large meeting, and very
deep consultation with his council, about this
land; how it was occupied, and by what sort of men. Then
sent he his men over all England into each shire;
commissioning them to find out "How many hundreds of
hides were in the shire, what land the king himself had,
and what stock upon the land; or, what dues he ought to
have by the year from the shire." Also he commissioned
them to record in writing, "How much land his
archbishops had, and his diocesan bishops, and his
abbots, and his earls;" and though I may be prolix and
tedious, "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." So very
narrowly, indeed, did he commission them to trace it
out, that there was not one single hide, nor a yard of
land, nay, moreover (it is shameful to tell, though he
thought it no shame to do it), not even an ox, nor a cow,
nor a swine was there left, that was not set down in his
writ. And all the recorded particulars were afterwards
brought to him.
SOURCE B - Domesday Book, c.1086
The King holds in demesne Earley. Almar held it in alod from
King Edward. Then at 5 hides, now for 4 hides. Land for use
by 6 ploughs. In demesne 1 plough and 6 villeins and 1
bordar with 3 ploughs. There are 2 slaves and 1 site in
Reading and 2 fisheries worth 7s and 6d and 20 acres of
meadow. Woodland for 70 pigs. At the time of King Edward it
was worth 100s, and afterwards and now it is worth 50s.
SOURCE C - Wikipedia, 2006
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. The survey was similar to a
census by a government of today. William needed information about
the country he had just conquered so he could administer it.
One of the main purposes of the survey was to find out who owned
what so they could be taxed on it, and the judgment of the assessors
was final — whatever the book said about who owned the property, or
what it was worth, was the law, and there was no appeal. It was written
in Latin, although there were some vernacular words inserted for native
terms with no previous Latin equivalent and the text was highly
abbreviated.
When the book took the name "Domesday" (Middle English spelling of
Doomsday) in the 12th century, it was to emphasize its definitiveness
and authority (the analogy refers to the Christian belief of a Last
Judgment).
SOURCE A - Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 1085
The King had much thought and
very deep speech with his council
about this land, how it was settled
and with what manner of men.
He then sent his men over all
England. So very closely did he
let it be searched out that there
was no land, nor even – it is a
shame to tell, though it seemed to
him no shame to do – an ox, nor
a cow, nor a pig that was not set
down in his writing.
SOURCE B - Domesday Book, c.1086
The King holds in demesne Earley. Almar held it in alod from
King Edward. Then at 5 hides, now for 4 hides. Land for use by
6 ploughs. In demesne 1 plough and 6 villeins and 1 bordar with
3 ploughs. There are 2 slaves and 1 site in Reading and 2 fisheries worth 7s and 6d and 20 acres of meadow. Woodland for 70
pigs. At the time of King Edward it was worth 100s, and afterwards and now it is worth 50s.
SOURCE C - Wikipedia, 2006
The Domesday Book was the record of the great survey
of England completed in 1086, executed for William the
Conqueror. The survey was similar to a census by a
government of today. William needed information about
the country he had just conquered so he could administer
it.
One of the main purposes of the survey was to find out
who owned what so they could be taxed on it, and the
judgment of the assessors was final - whatever the book
said about who owned the property, or what it was worth,
was the law, and there was no appeal. It was written in
Latin.
Your task is to write a summary of the Domesday survey of the mediaeval
ages. You should write your summary using standard English as a nonchronological report. You can use these questions to guide your writing,
and you should try to answer them in the course of your work, but you do
not need to include the questions, or to answer them in turn.
When writing about particular aspects of the survey, you should try to
refer to the historical sources on the accompanying sheets. If you refer to
one of the sources you should explain which source you have used, and
whether you consider this to be a primary or secondary source.
In what year did the Domesday survey take place?
What were the reasons for William ordering the Domesday survey to
be carried out?
Who carried out the survey for the King?
What sorts of questions were asked?
What language was used to compile the Domesday survey?
What was Earley like at the time of the Domesday survey?
Why was the value of Tarring less after 1066 than before?
Was the survey called ‘the Domesday book’ when it was written?
Was the survey popular?
Use the resources on the accompanying worksheet to answer these
questions about the Domesday survey.
Remember to write full sentences for your answers, so that they make
sense in your book without the questions!
Question 1
In what year did the Domesday survey take place?
Question 2
What were the reasons for William ordering the Domesday survey to be
carried out?
Question 3
Who carried out the survey for the King?
Question 4
What sorts of questions were asked?
Question 5
What language was used to compile the Domesday survey?
Question 6
What was Earley like at the time of the Domesday survey?
Question 7
Was the survey called ‘the Domesday book’ when it was written?
Question 8
Which sources are primary sources? Why are they called that?
Use the resources on the accompanying worksheet to answer these
questions about the Domesday survey.
Use the sentence starters to help you to write full sentences for your
answers.
Question 1
In what year did the Domesday survey take place?
The Domesday survey…
Question 2
What were the reasons for William ordering the Domesday survey to be
carried out?
William ordered the survey to be carried out…
Question 3
What language was used to compile the Domesday survey?
The Domesday survey was written…
Question 4
What was Earley like at the time of the Domesday survey?
In 1086, Earley…
Question 5
Which sources are primary sources? Why are they called that?
Sources __ and __ are primary sources. They are called primary sources
because...