920-Year-Old Latin Document Visits Cyberspace

An old document, composed in 1086, is now online and is the oldest public record in England available around the globe. The document is called The Domesday Book. What is this book? It is a land survey meant to evaluate the land and resources owned in England around 1086. It was created by William the Conqueror who wanted to determine how much he could raise the taxes.

The Domesday Book can be found in a special chest in Kew, London in the Public Record Office. The document was originally created in Latin and can be viewed translated into English for a fee. Those who wish to view the document can see an exact entry for their location in England. An example of part of the Latin foreign document translation is as follows:

"The archbishop himself holds in demesne Mortlake Tre (an abbreviation used in The Domesday Book for the time of King Edward) it was assessed at 80 hides (a hide was a land measurement). The canons of St Paul's hold eight of these hides, which with these others have paid, and do pay, geld (a land tax assessed on the number of hides)."

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Bonnie Bruneau