Domesday Delving

Saltby in Leicestershire is no sleepy Domesday backwater. In 1086, it was a bustling, high-output manor with an astonishing workforce: 24 villans, 23 sokemen, 14 bordars and 16 slaves.

Once held by Earl Morcar, the rebellious Anglo-Saxon noble and son of Lady Godiva, Saltby passed into the hands of Norman baron Roger de Bully after the Conquest but its productivity didn’t falter.

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore the remarkable scale of Saltby’s agricultural economy, uncover the biography of the powerful and ill-fated Earl Morcar, and delve into the lives of those who made the land work including those who had no freedom to call their own.It’s a story of hierarchy, continuity, and quiet endurance set in the fields of a village that still remembers its name, but not always its past.

Here’s the link to the brand-new Patreon account - patreon.com/DomesdayDelving

If you enjoy high-stakes storytelling, don’t forget to check out my cyberpunk novel Kidnap—available now: https://books2read.com/u/3JwE0e

Until next time, keep delving!

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore the curious note that "many things are wanting to this manor"—including woodland and ironworks that had belonged to it in the time of King Edward. What happened in the twenty years between the Confessor’s reign and the Domesday survey to cause such loss? And what can Corby’s vanished iron industry tell us about resilience, change, and the fragility of local economies in the wake of conquest?

Sometimes, Domesday surprises even me. In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore an unexpected and little-known entry recorded near the Welsh border: Camelot. With its mix of ploughland, meadows, a vineyard, and a hall already falling into disrepair by 1086, this manor raises fascinating questions about the line between history and legend.

We’ll look at the landholders before and after the Conquest, including a shadowy figure named Earl Artor, and explore what this record can teach us about medieval administration, cultural memory, and the persistence of local tradition. Plus, we dive into the Arthurian mythos, its early sources, and why stories of Camelot still resonate today. 

And if you enjoy a good mystery, my cyberpunk novel Kidnap is out now! You can find it here: https://books2read.com/u/3JwE0e 

A look into Battlesden at the time of the Domesday Survey, including a look at the ruthless High Sherrif of Cumberland.

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore what Eckington’s Domesday record tells us about life before and after the Norman Conquest. Who were the coliberts, and why are they so rarely mentioned? What did the shift from Anglo-Saxon to Norman rule mean for the people who worked the land? And how does this entry highlight the layers of status and servitude that shaped medieval society?

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we head to Ledbury in Herefordshire, a manor divided between knights, a priest, a radman, and the all-powerful Bishop of Hereford. But its Domesday entry also tells a tale of land disputes, shifting power, and the slow disappearance of Anglo-Saxon traditions under Norman rule.

We’ll uncover why Harold Godwinson is never called King Harold in the Domesday Book, what it meant to be a radman in a changing world, and how a stake in a salt pan at Droitwich linked Ledbury to one of medieval England’s most important industries. And we’re busting the myth that the medieval world was grey and dull. From bright clothing and painted houses to decorated furniture and colourful markets, everyday medieval life was far more vivid than you might think.

In this episode of Domesday Delving, we journey to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire—a town with deep historical roots and a surprising connection to one very famous duck! Recorded as a royal demesne manor in the Domesday Book, Aylesbury saw major changes under Norman rule, from increased taxation to shifting landownership structures.

A look into Great Hormead's Domesday Entry, along with a brief look at the enduring legacy of the Anglo Saxon royal house, and how it eventually reconnected with the Norman rulers to form the Plantagenet dynasty.

Six months of Domesday Delving, and a look into the disputes section of Skyrack Wapentake - the larger area which includes Garforth, the setting for the very first episode of Domesday Delving.

A detailed look into High Wycombe before and after the Norman Conquest, along with a short delve into the life of Queen Edith.