Domesday Book Survey

About Domesday Book Survey

The Domesday Book was commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1085 and completed in 1086. The survey recorded all property in England, including land, livestock, and plows, for tax assessment purposes. The name Domesday refers to the day of judgment, as the survey was final and unappealable. The Domesday Book recorded over 13,000 settlements and provided the basis for tax assessment for centuries. The survey was conducted by royal commissioners who visited each shire. The information was used to calculate the geld, a land tax. The Domesday Book is one of the most remarkable administrative achievements of the medieval period. It remains an invaluable source for historians of medieval England and is held at The National Archives in Kew.