What is the doomsday book?

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. read more

Domesday Book (/ ˈ d uː m z d eɪ / or US: / ˈ d oʊ m z d eɪ /; Latin: Liber de Wintonia "Book of Winchester") is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror. read more

The Domesday Book is one of Medieval England’s greatest treasures. The Domesday Book is closely linked with William the Conqueror’s attempt to dominate Medieval England. Along with a string of castles throughout England, the Domesday Book was to give William huge authority in England. read more

Used for many centuries for administrative and legal purposes, the Domesday Book is the starting point for most local historians researching the history of their area and there are several versions in print which should be available through good reference libraries. read more