Domesday BookNorfolkTitchwell
Norfolk · Domesday Book 1086

Titchwell in the Domesday Book

A settlement recorded in William the Conqueror's great survey of England, completed in 1086. 2 manors were recorded here.

In 1086, Titchwell was held by King William.

Historical Context

Titchwell 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 Titchwell, 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.

Common questions

Questions about Titchwell

Was Titchwell in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Titchwell was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Norfolk.
Who held Titchwell in 1086?+
In 1086, Titchwell was held by King William.
Who held Titchwell before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Titchwell was held by Aelfric (Blaec).
What was Titchwell worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Titchwell was valued at 30.8 pounds. The 1066 value was 7 pounds, showing a rise.
How many people lived in Titchwell in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 59 people in Titchwell: 39 villagers, 10 smallholders and 10 slaves.
What land did Titchwell have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Titchwell as having 16 ploughs in use, 16 acres of meadow, 60 pigs of woodland.
Where is Titchwell today?+
Titchwell is a settlement in the historic county of Norfolk, England.
Aubrey Research

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