Domesday Delving

One year of Domesday Delving! To mark the occasion, we’re tackling one of the great titans of the survey: the City of York.In 1086 York sprawls across two full pages of Domesday, a record of a city scarred by rebellion, half-emptied by the Harrying of the North, and reshaped by Norman castles. In this special episode, we look at York before the Conquest, dig into Domesday’s tangle of messuages, priests, usurpers and French settlers, and explore what happens when two legal systems — Anglo-Saxon and Norman — collide. Along the way we follow rabbit holes into William’s double-castle strategy, the devastation of the Harrying, and the shifting laws that made whole villages pay for a Norman’s death.

This week on Domesday Delving, we explore the Hertfordshire manor of Tring—once a sprawling 39-hide estate, dramatically reduced to just 5 hides and a virgate by the time of the Domesday Book. What happened?We dive into the shady post-Conquest manoeuvres of Ingelric, a native landholder who tried to game the new Norman system by attaching other people's land to his own. It didn’t end well for him. Along the way, we examine sokemen, slaves, woodland for 1,000 pigs, and a berewick with its own plough team. Plus: what Domesday really counted, and what it didn’t—and why Tring's listed population likely represents only half the story.As always, we wrap up with a modern lesson in who gets to write history—and why it matters. If you want to join the Patreon, the link is: patreon.com/DomesdayDelvingAnd if you want some cyberpunk adventure, here's the link to Inheritance: https://books2read.com/u/3LMqqw

This week, we head to the remote reaches of Cornwall, where the Count of Mortain held almost everything in sight — including Fawton, a manor that offers a rare glimpse into post-Conquest livestock records and the booming medieval wool trade.We delve into the life and legacy of Robert of Mortain, the Conqueror’s quiet but crucial half-brother, and ask what we can learn from his bold wager: 120 ships, pledged to an uncertain invasion. Was it madness, loyalty… or something more strategic?Plus, a look at how even something as humble as a sheep can reflect centuries of trade — and a reminder that calculated risks, not blind luck, are the engines of real change.A warm thank you to this week's Patrons: Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom, and Norman. Patreon: patreon.com/DomesdayDelvingCattle Raid: https://books2read.com/u/3LMK21

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore the powerful and complex town of Taunton, Somerset—a Domesday entry bursting with legal privileges, economic reach, and a population that far exceeded what the record shows. From borough-rights and crime fines to buried lords and bishop-run courts, Taunton shows us what it meant to wield local power in medieval England—and what that still means for us today.Plus: a deep dive into swineherds, tax biases, and why local control isn't always local accountability.This episode brought to you by: Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom and Norman. Patreon: patreon.com/DomesdayDelving

This week on Domesday Delving, we journey to Bedwyn in Wiltshire, a royal estate so significant it was never taxed in hides. We explore the powerful symbolism of money, from medieval plough-teams and burgesses to today's digital currencies, and ask what it means when wealth loses its weight. Along the way, we look at coliberts, crown land, and why even the absence of a mint can tell us a great deal about value, power, and who gets remembered in history

This week on Domesday Delving, we travel to Damerham in Hampshire, a village with Neolithic tombs, a royal past, and a surprisingly tangled tax record.Once a royal estate and later a valuable holding of Glastonbury Abbey, Damerham’s Domesday entry reveals confusion over land value, rising rents, and a striking population of coliberts - freemen in a feudal world.We dig into the medieval tax system, ask who really pays for empire-building, and reflect on how today’s tax avoidance by global giants echoes the same patterns, squeezing the poorest while the wealthiest slip away. Yes, this one’s political. And yes, it needs to be.Also: Payback, the third book in the Orbitals series, is out now! Corporate cybercrime, revenge, and high-speed justice for just 99 cents this month. You can get it here: https://books2read.com/u/4AyO5e

What do a royal farm, a fallen estate, and a couple of jars of honey have in common? This week we travel to Upper Beeding in Sussex, once one of the most valuable holdings in the entire county, to uncover a story of royal wealth, Norman redistribution, and the small, sweet traces of medieval beekeeping.We’ll explore the unique administrative structure of Sussex, explain what on earth a “rape” is (yes, really), and examine why a place that once rendered nearly £100 under King Edward was worth less than half that just twenty years later. Along the way, we dive into the fascinating, buzzing world of medieval beekeeping—complete with wax, war-hives, and the earliest beekeeping suits.And in our reflections from past to present, we consider what this tiny Domesday entry can teach us about fragile infrastructure, overlooked labour, and how much is hidden in the smallest details.Join the discussion in the Domesday Delving Facebook group, where you’ll find medieval honeycake and mead recipes inspired by this episode.Support the podcast at patreon.com/DomesdayDelvingThis episode brought to you with the support of Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom.

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we travel to the Kentish village of Elham, once held directly by the Bishop of Bayeux himself, none other than Odo, half-brother of William the Conqueror.From flourishing manorial profits to the shadow of eight slaves still labouring in 1086, Elham tells a story of ambition, control, and the long reach of power. But this week’s episode takes us far beyond Kent to the heart of Norman politics, rebellion, and one man’s attempt to seize two crowns.We explore the remarkable life of Odo of Bayeux: bishop, warrior, earl, papal hopeful, and probable patron of the Bayeux Tapestry. His rise, his fall, and his final march on Crusade offer a glimpse into a world where faith, power, and family were constantly at war.Plus: a brief look at what the Bayeux Tapestry means to us today, and what Odo never meant it to.If you’d like to support the show, you can now do so on Patreon here: patreon.com/DomesdayDelvingAnd if cyberpunk dystopias are more your speed, my latest novel Organ Grinders is now available here: https://books2read.com/u/bOk1d0This episode brought to you with the generous support of Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom.

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we visit Chebsey in Staffordshire, a small village whose Domesday entry reveals a story of hidden upheaval. Part of Chebsey’s land was taken to build an early castle at Stafford, only for that castle to be demolished within a generation.What does this tell us about rebellion, royal insecurity, and the fragile hold the Normans had over England? We’ll explore Chebsey’s landscape of ploughs, villagers, and priests, take a look at the rapid rise and fall of early Norman fortifications, and reflect on how even the smallest places survived the shockwaves of conquest.Join the Domesday Delving Facebook group for discussion and episode updates, and if you’d like to help support the podcast, you can join our Patreon here: patreon.com/DomesdayDelvingPatreon Supporters: Villeins: Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom

Saltby in Leicestershire is no sleepy Domesday backwater. In 1086, it was a bustling, high-output manor with an astonishing workforce: 24 villans, 23 sokemen, 14 bordars and 16 slaves.Once held by Earl Morcar, the rebellious Anglo-Saxon noble and son of Lady Godiva, Saltby passed into the hands of Norman baron Roger de Bully after the Conquest but its productivity didn’t falter.In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore the remarkable scale of Saltby’s agricultural economy, uncover the biography of the powerful and ill-fated Earl Morcar, and delve into the lives of those who made the land work including those who had no freedom to call their own.It’s a story of hierarchy, continuity, and quiet endurance set in the fields of a village that still remembers its name, but not always its past.Here’s the link to the brand-new Patreon account - patreon.com/DomesdayDelvingIf you enjoy high-stakes storytelling, don’t forget to check out my cyberpunk novel Kidnap—available now: https://books2read.com/u/3JwE0eUntil next time, keep delving!

Sometimes, Domesday surprises even me. In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore an unexpected and little-known entry recorded near the Welsh border: Camelot. With its mix of ploughland, meadows, a vineyard, and a hall already falling into disrepair by 1086, this manor raises fascinating questions about the line between history and legend.We’ll look at the landholders before and after the Conquest, including a shadowy figure named Earl Artor, and explore what this record can teach us about medieval administration, cultural memory, and the persistence of local tradition. Plus, we dive into the Arthurian mythos, its early sources, and why stories of Camelot still resonate today. And if you enjoy a good mystery, my cyberpunk novel Kidnap is out now! You can find it here: https://books2read.com/u/3JwE0e

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore what Eckington’s Domesday record tells us about life before and after the Norman Conquest. Who were the coliberts, and why are they so rarely mentioned? What did the shift from Anglo-Saxon to Norman rule mean for the people who worked the land? And how does this entry highlight the layers of status and servitude that shaped medieval society?