Domesday BookNorfolkLivermere
Norfolk · Domesday Book 1086

Livermere in the Domesday Book

Also recorded as: [Great] Livermere

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

In 1086, Livermere was held by Fulcher the Breton.

Historical Context

Livermere 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 Livermere, 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

Norfolk in the Domesday survey

Norfolk in 1086 was among the most densely populated counties in England, with a strong Anglo-Scandinavian culture reflected in its numerous small freeholders and distinctive tenure patterns. The Domesday survey records an unusually complex social structure, with many sokemen holding land in the eastern counties. Norwich was already an important town, and the county's coastline supported a thriving fishing industry.

Historical context

Notable places nearby

Grimes Graves
Archaeological site · ~12.2 miles
Common questions

Questions about Livermere

Was Livermere in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Livermere was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Norfolk.
Who held Livermere in 1086?+
In 1086, Livermere was held by Fulcher the Breton. The tenant-in-chief was (Bury) St Edmunds, abbey of.
Who held Livermere before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Livermere was held by free men, two.
What was Livermere worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Livermere was valued at 3 shillings. The 1066 value was 3 shillings, showing unchanged.
How many people lived in Livermere in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 21 people in Livermere: 6 villagers, 12 smallholders and 3 slaves.
What land did Livermere have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Livermere as having 0.5 ploughs in use, 0 acres of meadow.
Where is Livermere today?+
Livermere is a settlement in the historic county of Norfolk, England.
Aubrey Research

Discover Livermere'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