Author Topic: The Domesday Book  (Read 53 times)

Michael Caswell

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The Domesday Book
« on: November 27, 2019, 01:56:35 pm »


The Domesday Book on Yatesbury

Here is what the famous Domesday Books says about our village:-

Etesburie, Owner = ALWI, tenant = Alured of Spain, Parish = 1600 acres

Alured of Spain holds Etesburie of the King. Alwi held it in the time of King Edward & it paid geld for 5 hides. The land is 4 caracutes. Of this there are 3 1/2 hides in demesne, and there are 2 caracutes & 2 serfs: & there are 7 bordars, & one 'miles' with 1 caracute. There are 20 acres of pasture, it was worth 3 pounds, it is now worth 4 pounds.

A caracute was the amount of land that could be ploughed in a year by 1 plough and 8 oxen.

A hide was generally defined the same way, or as 100 acres.

Land in demesne, was land held directly by the lord, or not held by a sub tenant. The 'Home Farm' of later times.

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