What is the Domesday Book who wrote it why is it important today?

What is the Domesday Book who wrote it why is it important today?

The Domesday Book is a great land survey from 1086, commissioned by William the Conqueror to assess the extent of the land and resources being owned in England at the time, and the extent of the taxes he could raise. The information collected was recorded by hand in two huge books, in the space of around a year.

Where is the Domesday Book kept today?

The National Archives at Kew
In 1859, they were transferred to the new Public Record Office, London. They are now held at The National Archives at Kew.

What is the Domesday Book and why was it created?

After the Norman invasion and conquest of England in 1066, the Domesday Book was commissioned in December 1085 by order of William The Conqueror. 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.

What was the Domesday Book and its purpose?

The survey’s main purpose was to determine what taxes had been owed during the reign of King Edward the Confessor, thereby allowing William to reassert the rights of the Crown and assess where power lay after a wholesale redistribution of land following the Norman Conquest.

Why is the Domesday Book important to history?

The Domesday Book is an excellent source of information and shows what life was like in England after the Norman conquest. It details land ownership, jobs, what animals people owned and what laws were in place. But there is a lot it doesn’t cover, and so it cannot be seen as a complete record.

Which towns are not in the Domesday Book?

The two largest towns in England – London with at least 10,000 inhabitants and Winchester with around 6,000 – are not covered in Domesday Book. Other large towns at the time included Norwich, York and Lincoln, with populations of between 4,000 and 5,000 each.

What does the Domesday record tell us about the size of towns?

Domesday offers some details that indicate the size of towns, such as the number of burgesses who lived there or the number of residencies. An entry for Lincoln details 970 occupied residencies in 1066. Increasingly, trade was the focus of the boroughs. Many served their local areas with goods like livestock and fish.

What was the population of Norwich at the time of Domesday?

Other large towns at the time included Norwich, York and Lincoln, with populations of between 4,000 and 5,000 each. Domesday offers some details that indicate the size of towns, such as the number of burgesses who lived there or the number of residencies.