Brettenham in the Domesday Book

A village in Shropham hundred, in the county of Norfolk.

Four manors recorded in Domesday.

• 1st Manor

  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Abbey of Ely St Etheldreda
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Abbey of Ely
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Abbey of Ely
  • Taxable Value: 5 geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £6 in 1066; £8 3/12 in 1086
  • Households: 12 villagers; 17 smallholders; 1 freeman; 4 slaves; 1 priest
  • Plough Teams: 3 lord's ploughs; 3 ¹⁄₂ men's ploughs
  • Meadow: 4 acres
  • Woodland: 15 pigs
  • Mills: 2
  • Animals in 1066: 5 cattle
  • Animals in 1086: 5 cattle; 25 pigs; 2 cobs

• 2nd Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: Abbey of Ely St Etheldreda
  • Lords of the Manor in 1066: Free man, one; Free men, two
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: John nephew of Waleran
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: William (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: 4 ³⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £3 in 1066; £5 in 1086
  • Households: 7 villagers; 4 smallholders; 1 slave
  • Plough Teams: 3 lord's ploughs; 3 men's ploughs
  • Meadow: 20 acres
  • Mills: 2
  • Animals in 1066: 2 cattle
  • Animals in 1086: 2 cattle; 14 pigs; 5 beehives

• 3rd Manor

  • Overlords in 1066: Thorgisl; Abbey of Ely St Etheldreda
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Free men, seven
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Eudo the steward
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Eudo the steward
  • Taxable Value: 1 ¹⁄₂ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £1 10/- in 1066; £1 in 1070; £1 in 1086
  • Plough Teams: 1 men's plough
  • Meadow: 2 acres

• 4th Manor

  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Free men, three
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Roger Bigot
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: William of Bourneville (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: 1 geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £1 3/7¼ in 1086
  • Households: 3 smallholders
  • Plough Teams: 1 men's plough
  • Meadow: 4 acres