Bedfordshire · Domesday Book 1086

Wymington in the Domesday Book

A settlement recorded in William the Conqueror's great survey of England, completed in 1086. 6 manors were recorded here.

In 1086, Wymington was held by Walter (the monk).

Historical Context

Wymington in 1086

The Domesday Book was the result of a comprehensive survey ordered by William the Conqueror at Christmas 1085. Royal commissioners rode out across every county of England, recording the name and size of every settlement, who held it, what it was worth, and how that compared with the value it had held in the time of Edward the Confessor twenty years before.

For a settlement like Wymington, being entered in the Domesday Book was a defining moment in its history — a written acknowledgement of its existence by the new Norman state. The survey recorded the manor's lord, its taxable assessment in hides or carucates, the number of ploughs at work, and the population of villagers, smallholders and slaves who farmed the land.

The names of Domesday settlements reveal the deep roots of England's landscape. Many carry Saxon, Danish or even older origins — names that were already ancient when the Norman commissioners inscribed them in the great survey. Understanding a place's Domesday record is the first step in tracing the full arc of its history from the early medieval period to the present day.

About this area

Bedfordshire in the Domesday survey

Bedfordshire in 1086 was a compact midland county with fertile river valleys along the Ouse and its tributaries. Its estates were held largely by Norman barons who had displaced the Anglo-Saxon thegns of Edward the Confessor's reign. The county's villages supported mixed arable farming, and many settlements recorded in Domesday survive as thriving communities today.

Common questions

Questions about Wymington

Was Wymington in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Wymington was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Bedfordshire.
Who held Wymington in 1086?+
In 1086, Wymington was held by Walter (the monk). The tenant-in-chief was William Speke.
Who held Wymington before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Wymington was held by Leofric, Burgred (father of Edwin)'s man.
What was Wymington worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Wymington was valued at 2 shillings. The 1066 value was 10 shillings, showing a fall.
How many people lived in Wymington in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 23 people in Wymington: 2 villagers, 14 smallholders and 7 slaves.
What land did Wymington have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Wymington as having land for 0.5 ploughs.
Where is Wymington today?+
Wymington is a settlement in the historic county of Bedfordshire, England.
Aubrey Research

Discover Wymington's Complete Historical Record

Aubrey's full report for this location includes every Domesday manor, the complete record of medieval lordship, archaeological context, and the story of how this settlement evolved from 1086 to the present day.

Start your Aubrey report
Covers any location in England, Scotland or Wales