Domesday BookHampshireCholderton
Hampshire · Domesday Book 1086

Cholderton in the Domesday Book

Also recorded as: [East] Cholderton

A settlement recorded in William the Conqueror's great survey of England, completed in 1086. 4 manors were recorded here.

In 1086, Cholderton was held by Ralph.

Historical Context

Cholderton 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 Cholderton, 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

Hampshire in the Domesday survey

Hampshire in 1086 included the Isle of Wight and stretched from the New Forest — a royal hunting ground created by William at the displacement of local communities — to the chalk downlands of the north. Winchester, the old English capital, remained an important city, and the county's position on the south coast gave it strategic importance for cross-Channel communications.

Common questions

Questions about Cholderton

Was Cholderton in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Cholderton was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Hampshire.
Who held Cholderton in 1086?+
In 1086, Cholderton was held by Ralph. The tenant-in-chief was Hugh of Port.
Who held Cholderton before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Cholderton was held by Edric (the wild).
What was Cholderton worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Cholderton was valued at 1 pound. The 1066 value was 1.5 pounds, showing a fall.
How many people lived in Cholderton in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 22 people in Cholderton: 7 villagers, 9 smallholders and 6 slaves.
What land did Cholderton have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Cholderton as having land for 1 plough.
Where is Cholderton today?+
Cholderton is a settlement in the historic county of Hampshire, England.
Aubrey Research

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