Sharnbrook 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. 

The majority of the land in Stewartby was held by Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances, who was a Norman nobleman and trusted advisor of William the Conqueror. His holdings included 5 ploughlands, woodland and 54 pigs. Other land holders included Count Eustace of Boulogne, Hugh of Beauchamp, Hugh of Flanders, Countess Judith, Almler and Osbern Fisher and Albert of Lorraine , whose land also included a mill. 

Sharnbrook had a recorded population of 37 households in 1086, putting it in the largest 20% of settlements recorded in Domesday.