introductions to Domesday Book

Simple introductions to the basics of Domesday Book and its concepts are provided by R. Welldon Finn, Domesday Book: a guide (1973), John Fines, Domesday Book in the classroom (1983), and Philip Morgan, Domesday Book and the local Historian (1988).

There are a number of introductory sketches on the 'making of Domesday Book'. Given the controversy which has surrounded this subject, these are best read in the order of their composition: D.C. Douglas, 'The Domesday survey', History, vol. 21 (1936), pages 249-57; Domesday re-bound (1954), published by HM Stationery Office; E.J. King, 'Domesday studies', History, vol. 58 (1973), pages 403-9; H.R. Loyn, 'Domesday Book', Anglo-Norman Studies, vol. 1 (1979), pages 121-30; Sally P.J. Harvey, 'Recent Domesday studies', English Historical Review, vol. 95 (1980), pages 121-33; H.B. Clarke, 'The Domesday satellites', Domesday Book: as re-assessment, edited by Peter H. Sawyer (1985), pages 50-70; A. Frearson, 'Domesday Book: the evidence reviewed', History, vol. 71 (1986), pages 375-92; Elizabeth M. Hallam, Domesday Book through nine centuries (1986); W.E. Kapelle, 'Domesday Book: F.W. Maitland and his successors', Speculum, vol. 64 (1989), pages 620-40; A.R. Bridbury, 'Domesday Book: a re-interpretation', English Historical Review, vol. 105 (1990), pages 284-309; Chris P. Lewis, 'The earldom of Surrey and the date of Domesday Book', Historical Research, vol. 63 (1990), pages 329-36; Nicholas J. Higham, 'The Domesday survey: context and purpose', History, vol. 78 (1993), pages 7-21; and David Roffe, 'The making of Domesday Book re-considered', Haskins Society Journal, vol. 6 (1995), pages 153-67.

The article by Kapelle also contains a valuable historiographical survey, while the book by Hallam has an unusual and valuable analysis of the use to which Domesday Book has been put over the centuries.