The survey was ordered by william the conqueror at christmas 1085 and undertaken the following year. Domesday book discover domesday the national archives. Find out how to search for your town or village, and how to access images of domesday along with an english translation, using our research guide. Learn more about out why and how domesday was created, and how to interpret it, in discover domesday. Visit our website to access the full range of our resources, from domesday to britain in the 1960s, and find out about more about our schools programme. You can also access the discover domesday exhibition, explaining why domesday. A county by county edition of the farley transcript, together with a translation, can be found in domesday book, ed j morris and others phillimore, chichester, 19751986. 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.
The domesday survey was commissioned by william the conqueror at christmas in 1085. Domesday book encompasses two independent works in, originally, two physical volumes. Domesday book great domesday the national archives. This is the last of four clips filmed to illustrate the process of collecting information for the domesday survey in.
In fact there are two domesday books little domesday and great domesday, which together contain a great deal of information about england in the 11th century. The national archives is the uk government s official archive, containing years of history from domesday book to the present, with records from parchment and paper scrolls through to digital files and archived websites. E records of the exchequer, and its related bodies, with those of the office of first fruits and tenths, and the court of augmentations. Division within e records of the treasury of the receipt. In fact there are two domesday books little domesday and great domesday, which together contain a great deal of. It is a wellillustrated overview of the domesday book and perfect for school project work. Little domesday covering norfolk, suffolk, and essex, and great domesday covering much of the remainder of england except for lands in the north that later became westmorland, cumberland, northumberland, and the county palatine of durham and parts of wales bordering, and included.
Free access to digital records the national archives. 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. Domesday book, shakespeares will, tweets from downing street and war time records. The survey was ordered by william the conqueror at christmas. In fact there are two domesday books little domesday and great domesday. Great domesday covers parts of wales and most of modern england. Domesday is now available online, and you can search for your town or village, and download images of domesday along with an english translation of the entry. Domesday book is a detailed survey and valuation of landed property in england at the end of the 11th century. This series contains the oldest of the public records, the two volumes which comprise domesday book, which were formerly in the exchequer treasury of receipt. It is a wellillustrated overview of the domesday book and perfec. Domesday book is one of the most famous historical records held by the national archives. It records who held the land and how it was used, and also includes information on how this had changed since the norman conquest in. Open document, open description record opening date.
Actor andrew ashmore gives a possible 11th century saxon view of william the conquerors domesday survey. It contains the results of a huge survey of land and landholding commissioned by william i in 1085. The national archives is the home of domesday book, the oldest surviving public record. Abraham farleys edition 17731783 domesday book was an item of great interest to the antiquarian movement of the 18th century. Secrets of the domesday book the national archives shop. Secrets of the domesday book this 20 page guide uses an equal mix of text and illustrations to give a glimpse into the history of this national treasure. The national archives is the uk government s official archive. William wanted to know how much his kingdom was worth and how much taxation he could command. The record was compiled in 10861087, a mere twenty years after the norman conquest, at the order of william the conqueror.
This is the third of four clips filmed to illustrate the process of collecting information for. Domesday book not by dan brown digitised by national archives. 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 of their area in the eleventh century but also as the foundation document of the national archives. The 920yearold domesday book ranks as britains oldest public record, and. Domesday book nobles and knights the national archives. The national archives education service the education service provides free online resources and taught sessions, supporting the national curriculum for history from key stage 1 up to alevel. The world of domesday exhibition depicts life in 11th century england. Domesday book world of domesday the national archives. Short film describing the reaction of a saxon village reeve to the process of collecting information for domesday. Explore the history of the archival crown jewel that is domesday book the national archives is the uk government s official archive.
The most recent and radical reassessment of the survey and domesday book itself is in d roffe, domesday. A complete translation domesday book is one of the most famous documents in english history. Domesday book food and drink the national archives. Free digital downloads while our kew site is closed, signedin users can download digital records for free. Join us here and help create a modern national archive that makes our history even more accessible. The national archives learning curve focus on domesday. The larger, great domesday, is the digest of the survey ordered by william i at gloucester at christmas 1085.
We hold 11 million records from domesday book to the most recent government papers. Domesday book interpreting domesday the national archives. As the government s national archive for england, wales and the united kingdom, the national archives hold over 1,000 years of the. Little domesday is the draft, uncondensed survey for norfolk, suffolk, and essex. Our main duties are to preserve government records and to set standards in information management and reuse.
You can also see this iconic document in the first episode of cunk on britain, the new series on bbc2. Domesday book domesday legacy the national archives. The national archives permits registered users to order and download a reasonable number of documents for free and has set a maximum order limit of 50. Every purchase supports the work of the national archives. The national archives recently announced that we are going to be loaning our earliest public record, domesday book, to the british library for the librarys forthcoming anglosaxon kingdoms exhibition. 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 all the. 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. Domesday book is the oldest government record held in the national archives. For many centuries individual entries from domesday were copied as evidence of ancient demesne and land title. Domesday book is a public record and its information has always been made available. It was written over nine hundred years ago under the orders of king william the conqueror. These are just some of the 11 million items held by the national archives. We are the government s knowledge and information champions. Domesday book survey and making of domesday the national.
Because of its importance many copies have been made including at least three from the th century including the exchequer abbreviation, domesday abbreviatio catalogue reference. Now, the oldest public record held by the national archives can be searched online at. The national archives is the official archive of the uk government for england and wales and the sector leader for archives in england. The national archives who do you think you are magazine.
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