Episodios

  • DD - Episode 51 - Benson

    DD - Episode 51 - Benson
    Aug 12 2025
    Benson, Oxfordshire, was once the richest royal manor in the county – and its story reaches from ancient settlements to the halls of kings. In this episode of Domesday Delving, we trace Benson’s journey from the days of Offa of Mercia and the Battle of Bensington, through its role as a prized royal holding in 1086. Along the way, we uncover Anglo-Saxon politics, curious coinage, and what one king’s ruthless ambition can teach us about power – then and now.
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    29 m
  • DD - Episode 50 - Tring

    DD - Episode 50 - Tring
    Aug 5 2025
    This week on Domesday Delving, we explore the Hertfordshire manor of Tring—once a sprawling 39-hide estate, dramatically reduced to just 5 hides and a virgate by the time of the Domesday Book. What happened?

    We dive into the shady post-Conquest manoeuvres of Ingelric, a native landholder who tried to game the new Norman system by attaching other people's land to his own. It didn’t end well for him. Along the way, we examine sokemen, slaves, woodland for 1,000 pigs, and a berewick with its own plough team. Plus: what Domesday really counted, and what it didn’t—and why Tring's listed population likely represents only half the story.

    As always, we wrap up with a modern lesson in who gets to write history—and why it matters.

    If you want to join the Patreon, the link is: patreon.com/DomesdayDelving

    And if you want some cyberpunk adventure, here's the link to Inheritance: https://books2read.com/u/3LMqqw
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    15 m
  • DD- Episode 49 - Harrow on the Hill

    DD- Episode 49 - Harrow on the Hill
    Jul 29 2025
    Once a pagan lookout, later a Christian shrine, and by 1086, a centre of Norman authority—Harrow on the Hill stands as a layered landmark in England’s long story. This episode delves into the Domesday entry for Harrow, explores the remarkable life of Archbishop Lanfranc, and examines what it meant to hold land, status, and faith in a conquered kingdom. From villans and slaves to sacred spaces and political reforms, we trace the past to its echoes in the present.

    If you enjoy the show, support it on Patreon at patreon.com/DomesdayDelving

    A warm thank you to the current Patrons: Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom, and Norman.
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    28 m
  • DD - Episode 48 - Fawton

    DD - Episode 48 - Fawton
    Jul 22 2025
    This week, we head to the remote reaches of Cornwall, where the Count of Mortain held almost everything in sight — including Fawton, a manor that offers a rare glimpse into post-Conquest livestock records and the booming medieval wool trade.

    We delve into the life and legacy of Robert of Mortain, the Conqueror’s quiet but crucial half-brother, and ask what we can learn from his bold wager: 120 ships, pledged to an uncertain invasion. Was it madness, loyalty… or something more strategic?

    Plus, a look at how even something as humble as a sheep can reflect centuries of trade — and a reminder that calculated risks, not blind luck, are the engines of real change.

    A warm thank you to this week's Patrons: Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom, and Norman.

    Patreon: patreon.com/DomesdayDelving

    Cattle Raid: https://books2read.com/u/3LMK21
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    25 m
  • DD - Episode 47 - West Clyst

    DD - Episode 47 - West Clyst
    Jul 15 2025
    In this episode of Domesday Delving, we turn our attention to the quiet Devon manor of West Clyst—a small estate with just a handful of tenants and a single named landholder: Wulfgifu, an Anglo-Saxon woman whose name disappears after the Norman Conquest.

    Through this brief but revealing entry, we explore what was lost when women like Wulfgifu were written out of history, what ordinary people might have eaten in 1086, and why the silences in our records matter just as much as the words.

    A story of ploughs, pottage, and the politics of memory.

    This episode was brought to you by: Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom, and Norman. If you want to help them keep making this possible, join the Patreon at: patreon.com/DomesdayDelving
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    12 m
  • DD - Episode 46 - Taunton

    DD - Episode 46 - Taunton
    Jul 8 2025
    In this episode of Domesday Delving, we explore the powerful and complex town of Taunton, Somerset—a Domesday entry bursting with legal privileges, economic reach, and a population that far exceeded what the record shows. From borough-rights and crime fines to buried lords and bishop-run courts, Taunton shows us what it meant to wield local power in medieval England—and what that still means for us today.

    Plus: a deep dive into swineherds, tax biases, and why local control isn't always local accountability.

    This episode brought to you by: Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom and Norman.

    Patreon: patreon.com/DomesdayDelving
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    26 m
  • DD - Episode 45 - Swyre

    DD - Episode 45 - Swyre
    Jul 1 2025
    In this week’s episode of Domesday Delving, we travel to Swyre in Dorset — a small coastal holding with a rare gem in its Domesday entry: a clear acknowledgement of King Harold. From this one line, we dive into the life, reign, and legacy of England’s last crowned Anglo-Saxon king.

    Was Harold Godwinson truly the usurper the Normans painted him to be — or a legitimate king cut down by an invading opportunist? Why does so much of what we “know” about 1066 come from those who had the most to gain from rewriting the story? We explore how propaganda shaped the narrative of conquest — and how it still works today. From medieval tapestries to modern news channels, we ask: who gets to tell the story, and what happens when we only hear one side?
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    31 m
  • DD - Episode 44 - Bedwyn

    DD - Episode 44 - Bedwyn
    Jun 24 2025
    This week on Domesday Delving, we journey to Bedwyn in Wiltshire, a royal estate so significant it was never taxed in hides. We explore the powerful symbolism of money, from medieval plough-teams and burgesses to today's digital currencies, and ask what it means when wealth loses its weight.

    Along the way, we look at coliberts, crown land, and why even the absence of a mint can tell us a great deal about value, power, and who gets remembered in history
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    16 m