The Phillimore Translation

The basis of this electronic edition of the text is the translation published by Phillimore and edited by John Morris (35 volumes, Chichester, 1973-86), with the following modifications:
  • known errors and omissions have been corrected
  • additional identifications of names and places have been incorporated
  • entries are in the logical order indicated by the scribe, not in the order of the manuscript; and text printed at the head of groups of entries is now included within each entry.
This edition employs the unique numbering system of the Phillimore edition where each separate entry or block of text is numbered. This allows more precise retrieval than the customary referencing by folio numbers since there may be dozens of entries on any one folio.

In general, references in the Phillimore system consist of two numbers separated by a comma: the first number is that of the fief of the tenant-in-chief, the second the number of an entry within that fief.

Due to the peculiarities of their feudal structure, fief 5 in Cornwall and fief 4 in Shropshire have 3 figure references. Sections on boroughs, county Customs, and Claims have their distinctive numbering systems, introduced by a letter. In Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and the New Forest references begin with a letter code (IoW and NF), and in Yorkshire the Ridings are indicated by a letter in place of the comma between fief and entry numbers: the reference 9W1 means the first entry on fief 9 in the West Riding. Finally, parts of Wales and Lancashire included within other counties also incorporate distinctive lettering.

Other special cases are few. Because it is meaningful, the numbering system is valuable for orientation, particularly when browsing tables. The number of a selected entry is displayed by the software on the Caption bar of each window of the Domesday Explorer screen.

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