Cockayne Hatley in 1086

Domesday Book was commissioned by William the Conqueror (1066-1087) at Christmas 1085. It was designed to show who held every piece of land in the newly conquered Kingdom of England. It was known colloquially as the Domesday Book because it was seen as being as final as the Last Judgement and as difficult to conceal things from. The book does not cover the whole country - Cumberland, Durham, Northumberland, and Westmorland were omitted and London and Winchester likewise, along with some other towns. A separate book, called Little Domesday covered the counties of Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk and, despite its name, it is actually bigger and more detailed than the Great Domesday Book containing the other counties.  

There are two separate estates listed in Domesday Book for Hatley [Cockayne Hatley] which together had 29 households in 1086. To get an idea of the total population one should probably multiply the number of households by at least four, to allow for wives and children - giving a estimated population of about 120. The two estates were as follows:  

(1) 6.5 ploughlands held in 1086 by the Countess Judith, with 2 lord’s and 4.5 men’s plough teams. There was also additional “lord’s lands”, 2 ploughlands of meadow and woodland supporting 4 pigs. In 1086 there were 16 households comprising 8 villagers and 8 smallholders. In 1066 the land had been held by Earl Tosti and a single freeman and was worth £6. The value fell to £5 after the Conquest, but had risen to £6 5s in 1086. This estate soon became absorbed into Countess Judith’s estates in Potton and played no further part in the history of Cockayne Hatley.  

(2) 8 ploughlands held by Azelina, wife of Ralph Tallboys, supporting 2 lord’s and 6 men’s plough teams. The estate included additional lord’s lands, meadowland, woodland supporting 4 pigs and a mill valued at 18 shillings. In 1086 there were 13 households comprising 8 villagers, 4 smallholders and 1 slave. In 1066 this estate had been held by Wulfmer (of Eaton Socon) and two freemen. The pre-Conquest value was £6 p.a.; this fell to £5 but had risen back to £6 again by 1086. 

In 1086 both estates were held directly from the king, with no under-tenant.