Domesday BookSomersetLexworthy
Somerset · Domesday Book 1086

Lexworthy in the Domesday Book

A settlement recorded in William the Conqueror's great survey of England, completed in 1086. 3 manors were recorded here.

In 1086, Lexworthy was held by Everard.

Historical Context

Lexworthy 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 Lexworthy, 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

Somerset in the Domesday survey

Somerset in 1086 was a county of contrasts: the flat, waterlogged Levels, the Mendip Hills with their lead mines, and the rolling agricultural country to the south and east. Glastonbury Abbey was one of England's wealthiest institutions and held extensive lands across the county. The town of Bath, with its Roman heritage, was an important ecclesiastical centre under its bishop.

Historical context

Notable places nearby

Ilchester
Roman town · ~18.3 miles
Common questions

Questions about Lexworthy

Was Lexworthy in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Lexworthy was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Somerset.
Who held Lexworthy in 1086?+
In 1086, Lexworthy was held by Everard. The tenant-in-chief was Count Eustace (of Boulogne).
Who held Lexworthy before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Lexworthy was held by Alward (the noble).
What was Lexworthy worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Lexworthy was valued at 1.5 pounds.
How many people lived in Lexworthy in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 25 people in Lexworthy: 10 villagers, 9 smallholders and 6 slaves.
What land did Lexworthy have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Lexworthy as having land for 2 ploughs, 3 acres of meadow, 20 acres of woodland.
Where is Lexworthy today?+
Lexworthy is a settlement in the historic county of Somerset, England.
Aubrey Research

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