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Dilwyn & Domesday

Domesday Book

Translation of the Great Domesday Book of 1086

Dilwyn Parish

The following translated extracts relate to the area of Dilwyn parish. It shows that various communities were well established under the anglo-saxons before the arrival of the Normans. In fact it names the anglo-saxon land holders prior to the conquest. The purpose of the Domesday book was to establish the levels of taxation that could be applied.

Terms used in the translations are explained at the foot of this article.

The same William (WILLIAM d'Ecouis) holds DILWYN. Edwin held it and could go where he would. There are 3 hides paying geld. In demesne is 1 plough; and 8 villans and 5 bordars with 7 ploughs, and in addition there could be 2 more ploughs. There is 1 female slave. TRE it was worth 41 ; and afterwards, as now, 75s.

The same William (WILLIAM d'Ecouis) holds in this vill 1 hide paying geld. Earnwig held it, and could go where he would. There is land for 3 ploughs. There is 1 villan and 3 bordars. TRE it was worth 25s ; and afterwards 10s ; now 15s.

The same William (WILLIAM d'Ecouis) holds [?Little] DILWYN , and Richard [holds] of him. Alm�r held it. There is 1 hide, and in demesne 1 plough; and a radknight with 1 plough. There is 1 Frenchman and 4 bordars paying 25d.
There are 2 slaves and 1 female slave. It was worth 5s ; now 20s.

Ilbert holds Luntely. Ravenkel held it. 2 hides. In Lordship 1 plough.
A reeve, 4 villans and 2 oxmen with 2 ploughs.
TRE it was worth 40s; now 30s.

ILBERT holds [?Sollers] DILWYN. Ramkel held it.
There are 2 hides, and in demesne 2 ploughs; and 8 bordars with 4 ploughs. There are 4 oxmen. TRE it was worth 20s ; now 40s.

8,5: Land of Ralph of Tosny in STRETFORD Hundred.
CHADNOR. 3 hides which pay tax. Ernwy, Hadwin and Alfward held it as three manors.
In lordship 2 ploughs; 4 villans, 6 bordars and 1 smith with 3 ploughs. 6 slaves; meadow only for the oxen; woodland which pays nothing; a further 3 more ploughs would be possible there.
In the same village lies the third part of 1 hide; 1 plough there.
TRE it was worth 410s; now 110s.

Hide
The standard unit of land measure, used to assess geld (tax). In theory each hide was divided into four equal parts, called Virgates. In area 120 or 200 acres or less: as much land as could be tilled with 1 plough, or support 1 family.
Geld
Tax, assessed per hide.
Demesne
Land in the pesonal possession of a Lord, used to support that Lord rather than the tenants working it. i.e. the land of the manor, or home farm, belonging to the lord and cultivated by villans.
Villans
Servile tenant, bondman, farm servant, yeoman.
Bordar
A peasant, lower on the social ladder than a Villan.
Slaves
These were at the bottom of the economic and social scale, normally without resources of their own and there to perform their lord's bidding. The significant correlation between numbers of slaves and plough teams on the lord's demesne, or home farm, has been taken to prove that they were often utilised by the lord as his ploughmen.
T.R.E.
Tempore Regis Edwardi - in the time of King Edward. William never recognised Harold's claim to the throne. So Edward is listed as the last anglo-saxon king prior to the conquest.
Radknight
A tenant who gave service on horseback to his lord as an obligation of his landholding.
Frenchman
A settler from abroad (not necessarily French) of non-noble status. Frenchmen were freeholders.
Reeve
A judicial officer over the villans in the manor. Inferior to the Eorl, he assisted the Bailiff in the management of the estate and held a position corresponding the the modern Justice of the Peace.
Oxmen
Ploughmen. Ploughing in medieval England was a two-man operation, one man to handle the oxen and the other to guide the plough. Indications are that the oxmen performed much the same function as the the slaves in tilling the demesne land, and that an oxman was often associated with a slave in this task. Possibily, the oxmen shared the servile status, as well as the function, of the slaves.

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