Nottinghamshire · Domesday Book 1086

Lambley in the Domesday Book

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

In 1086, Lambley was held by Healfdene <of Cromwell>.

Historical Context

Lambley 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 Lambley, 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

Nottinghamshire in the Domesday survey

Nottinghamshire in 1086 included the great royal forest of Sherwood, which dominated the county's western half. The town of Nottingham, sited on the Trent, was an important strategic and commercial centre. Much of the county had been affected by William's harrying of the north, and Domesday records a significant number of wasted or reduced-value manors in its northern reaches.

Historical context

Notable places nearby

Thorpe
Roman town · ~8.2 miles
Common questions

Questions about Lambley

Was Lambley in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Lambley was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Nottinghamshire.
Who held Lambley in 1086?+
In 1086, Lambley was held by Healfdene.
Who held Lambley before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Lambley was held by Ulfkil (brother of Algar).
What was Lambley worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Lambley was valued at 3 pounds. The 1066 value was 3 pounds, showing unchanged.
How many people lived in Lambley in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 23 people in Lambley: 20 villagers and 3 smallholders.
What land did Lambley have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Lambley as having land for 3 ploughs, 20 acres of meadow, 1 league * 4 furlongs mixed measures of woodland.
Where is Lambley today?+
Lambley is a settlement in the historic county of Nottinghamshire, England.
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