Bengeo in the Domesday Book

A village in Hertford hundred, in the county of Hertfordshire.

Nine manors recorded in Domesday.

• 1st Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: King Edward
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Elaf of Driffield
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Geoffrey of Bec
  • Lords of the Manor in 1086: 4 men-at-arms (subinfeudated); Geoffrey of Bec
  • Taxable Value: 6 ¹⁄₂ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £8 in 1066; £3 in 1070; £5 in 1086
  • Households: 2 villagers; 10 smallholders; 5 slaves
  • Meadow: 3 ploughs
  • Woodland: 30 pigs

• 2nd Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: King Edward
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Brand, a royal Guard
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Hugh of Beauchamp
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: 2 men-at-arms (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: 6 geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £6 in 1066; £3 in 1070; £3 in 1086
  • Households: 7 villagers; 6 smallholders; 2 slaves
  • Plough Teams: 2 lord's ploughs; 2 men's ploughs (8 plough lands)
  • Meadow: 3 ploughs
  • Woodland: 20 pigs
  • Mills: 1, value 6/7¼

• 3rd Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: King Edward
  • Lords of the Manor in 1066: Freeman, one; Anund, a royal Guard
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Geoffrey of Bec
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Geoffrey of Bec
  • Taxable Value: 5 ¹⁄₄ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £8 in 1066; £5 in 1070; £5 in 1086
  • Households: 2 villagers; 6 smallholders; 34 cottagers; 2 Frenchmen
  • Plough Teams: 1 lord's plough; 3 men's ploughs (5 plough lands)
  • Meadow: 2 ploughs

• 4th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: Esger the constable
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Thorkil of Digswell
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Geoffrey de Mandeville
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Huard of Noyers (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: 3 ¹⁄₄ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £4 in 1066; £2 in 1070; £2 5/- in 1086
  • Households: 3 villagers; 2 smallholders; 6 cottagers
  • Plough Teams: 1 lord's plough; 2 men's ploughs (4 plough lands)
  • Meadow: 1 plough
  • Woodland: 4 pigs
  • Mills: 1, value 10 shillings

• 5th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: King Edward
  • Lords of the Manor in 1066: Alstan; Walcra; Leofsi
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Geoffrey of Bec
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: 3 men-at-arms (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: 1 ³⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £2 in 1066; £1 in 1070; £1 in 1086
  • Households: 4 smallholders
  • Meadow: ¹⁄₂ plough

• 6th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: King Edward
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Freemen, four
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Geoffrey of Bec
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Roger (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: 1 ³⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £2 in 1066; £1 in 1070; £1 in 1086
  • Households: 4 villagers

• 7th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: King Edward
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Freemen, two
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Geoffrey of Bec
  • Lords of the Manor in 1086: 1 Frenchman (subinfeudated); 1 priest (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: ⁷⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: 10 shillings in 1066; 5 shillings in 1070; 5 shillings in 1086
  • Plough Teams: ¹⁄₂ lord's plough (1 plough land)

• 8th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: Edeva the fair
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Snerri, Edeva the fair's man
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Count Alan
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Count Alan
  • Taxable Value: ¹⁄₄ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: 5 shillings in 1066; 5 shillings in 1070; 5 shillings in 1086
  • Meadow: ¹⁄₄ plough

• 9th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: King Edward
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Almer of Bennington
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Peter of Valognes
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Peter of Valognes
  • Taxable Value: ¹⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: 5 shillings in 1066; 5 shillings in 1070; 5 shillings in 1086
  • Households: 1 villager