Domesday Book Goes Online
The Domesday Book, an 11th-century survey of the English populace and the oldest record held by the British National Archives, is now available online. The book is actually comprised of two volumes, a "Little Domesday" (which surveyed parts of eastern England) and "Great Domesday" (which surveyed those parts of England not covered in Little Domesday, as well as the Welsh borders).
After William the conqueror's decisive victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he ordered a survey of his newly acquired lands in order to establish tax rates. Royal officials travelled throughout the new kingdom, noting the location and size of farms, woods, mills, crofts, towns and more. Additionally, the people that inhabited these places were also surveyed. Slaves, sokemen (semi-free peasants), villans (indentured servants), nobles and freemen were tallied (though only landowners are listed by name).
13,418 places were recorded and all are now searchable online. Translations from the original Latin of individual pages are $6.60 each.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/
After William the conqueror's decisive victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he ordered a survey of his newly acquired lands in order to establish tax rates. Royal officials travelled throughout the new kingdom, noting the location and size of farms, woods, mills, crofts, towns and more. Additionally, the people that inhabited these places were also surveyed. Slaves, sokemen (semi-free peasants), villans (indentured servants), nobles and freemen were tallied (though only landowners are listed by name).
13,418 places were recorded and all are now searchable online. Translations from the original Latin of individual pages are $6.60 each.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/