Hampstead is a Pigsty...this and other fascinating insights from the Domesday Book are now available online
Residents of Hampstead might not be too pleased to learn that their exclusive London village once housed more pigs than people but this is just one of the fascinating insights to be gained from reading the Domesday Book. More than 8,500 extracts from the Domesday Book are now available to order online, either as an e-mailed digital version or a hardcopy print via the searchable web site www.domesdayextracts.co.uk – currently the only source on the Internet.
(PRWEB) July 24, 2004 -- Residents of Hampstead might not be too pleased to
learn that their exclusive London village once housed more pigs than people but
this is just one of the fascinating insights to be gained from reading the
Domesday Book. More than 8,500 extracts from the Domesday Book are now available
to order online, either as an e-mailed digital version or a hardcopy print via
the searchable web site www.domesdayextracts.co.uk – currently the only source on the
Internet.
Commissioned in 1085 by order of William The Conqueror and
first published in 1086, the Domesday Book was intended as an instrument of tax
collection - a hand written record indexing land and other resource ownership.
As well as valuing assets, this fascinating document gives a valuable insight
into land use at the time, the life of local landowners, and even disputes
between neighbours.
By studying individual entries it is possible to
discover that upmarket Hampstead in London had woodland containing 100 pigs and
was assessed as being worth 50 shillings. Brighton residents may enjoy fishing
but how many catch enough to pay their taxes? The Domesday Book reveals that one
Brighton landowner did exactly that - with 4,000 herrings to be
precise!
The 8,500 extracts were created by photographing every page of
the historic tome with the support of the National Archives in London. A team of
academics then translated and indexed the entire contents in modern English. A
database of place names mentioned in the Domesday Book is now online and
cross-referenced to current towns and villages. Individual locations can be
found at the click of a button. This unique web site provides access to an
authentic version of one of the most important historical records of this
country – previously only available to the academic community.
Domesday
extracts will appeal to the amateur historian, genealogist, school history
student or anybody with an interest in their local town or village. Framed
prints make ideal and unique gifts.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/7/prweb143791.htm