Shropshire · Domesday Book 1086

Uppington in the Domesday Book

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

In 1086, Uppington was held by Gerard (of Tournai-sur-Dive).

Historical Context

Uppington 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 Uppington, 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

Shropshire in the Domesday survey

Shropshire in 1086 was a marcher county of considerable strategic importance, bordering the Welsh kingdoms that William had not subdued. The earldom of Shrewsbury, held by Roger de Montgomery, gave the county a powerful Norman overlord. Its landscape of river valleys, uplands and the Long Mynd supported both arable farming and extensive pastoralism, while many estates were held in military tenure against Welsh raiding.

Common questions

Questions about Uppington

Was Uppington in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Uppington was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Shropshire.
Who held Uppington in 1086?+
In 1086, Uppington was held by Gerard (of Tournai-sur-Dive).
Who held Uppington before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Uppington was held by Godwin.
What was Uppington worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Uppington was valued at 1.55 pounds. The 1066 value was 1.25 pounds, showing a rise.
How many people lived in Uppington in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 9 people in Uppington: 5 villagers and 4 smallholders.
What land did Uppington have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Uppington as having land for 5 ploughs, 1 leagues of woodland.
Where is Uppington today?+
Uppington is a settlement in the historic county of Shropshire, England.
Aubrey Research

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