Berkshire · Domesday Book 1086

Kintbury in the Domesday Book

A settlement recorded in William the Conqueror's great survey of England, completed in 1086. 3 manors were recorded here.

In 1086, Kintbury was held by Henry of Ferrers.

Historical Context

Kintbury 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 Kintbury, 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

Berkshire in the Domesday survey

Berkshire in 1086 stretched from the Thames valley to the edge of the Downs, encompassing the royal estate of Windsor and the ancient Vale of White Horse. William the Conqueror personally held significant lands here, and the county's fertile riverside manors were prized by the new Norman aristocracy who reshaped its landholding patterns after the Conquest.

Common questions

Questions about Kintbury

Was Kintbury in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Kintbury was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Berkshire.
Who held Kintbury in 1086?+
In 1086, Kintbury was held by Henry of Ferrers. The tenant-in-chief was King William.
Who held Kintbury before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Kintbury was held by King Edward.
What was Kintbury worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Kintbury was valued at 10 pounds. The 1066 value was 10 pounds, showing unchanged.
How many people lived in Kintbury in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 74 people in Kintbury: 27 villagers, 34 smallholders and 13 slaves.
What land did Kintbury have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Kintbury as having land for 10 ploughs, 40 acres of meadow, 3 swine render of woodland.
Where is Kintbury today?+
Kintbury is a settlement in the historic county of Berkshire, England.
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