The Domesday Book was the first comprehensive census of England.
King William the Conqueror wanted to find out exactly what land and resources there were in England, so that he could decide what taxes he could levy (demand). He commissioned the Domesday Book, to list who owned what, what resources the land could provide and what was owed to him as king (in taxes, rent and military service).
It tells us the number of houses and people in Northamptonshire villages. In Northampton there were 300 houses and around 2000 people living in the town. The Domesday Book tells us about medieval villages but not all villages that were around in 1066 are still here today. Some medieval villages, like Chester on the Water which is part of the Chester Farm Complex, were deserted after the Black Death. The now deserted medieval village in the grounds of Boughton House had only 11 people living there in 1086.
Glossary:
Chester Farm Complex
Chester Farm lies just to the east of Wellingborough, and to the north of the modern village of Irchester. The site preserves a unique archaeological and historic resource going back some 2,000 years. It features a Roman walled town, Deserted Medieval Village, important complex of farm buildings (the earliest of which are 17th Century), and industrial workings associated with 19th century ironstone quarrying. The river flood plain is also of nature conservation interest with a range of wetland flora and a variety of birds. It is owned by the County Council which is keen to ensure its safe preservation into the future.
Black Death
A bubonic plague that first swept England between 1348 and 1350. It killed 1.5 million people at a time when the population of England was only about 4 million (today it is over 61 million).
