Gone Medieval After 1066: The Domesday Book
Sep 12, 2025
Levi Roach, a historian specializing in Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, joins Matt Lewis to discuss the Domesday Book, commissioned by William the Conqueror. They delve into its astonishing detail, documenting land and resources post-1066. Roach highlights its role in consolidating Norman power and the administrative genius behind it. The conversation also unpacks the complexities of historical governance and the ongoing significance of this monumental survey in understanding England's socio-economic landscape.
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What The Domesday Book Actually Is
- The Domesday Book is the consolidated result of a kingdom-wide inquest compiling local surveys into two main volumes: Little Domesday and Great Domesday.
- It records landholders, resources and obligations and totals over 1,600 written pages, produced from massive local paperwork.
Exeter Drafts And One Scribe's Final Copy
- Levi Roach highlights the survival of Exeter's draft records, called Exon Domesday, which give rare insight into the survey's working process.
- He notes Great Domesday's final text was likely written out by a single scribe from Durham, showing both complexity and centralization.
Why It's Called 'Doomsday'
- The name "Doomsday" is a later term from Old English 'dome' meaning judgment, framing the survey as a final royal judgment over land.
- Its monumental scale and presentation intentionally echoed large biblical manuscripts, reinforcing royal and divine authority.
