Orwell in the Domesday Book

A village in Wetherley hundred, in the county of Cambridgeshire.

Eight manors recorded in Domesday.

• 1st Manor

  • Overlords in 1066: King Edward; Earl Algar; Robert son of Wiuhomarch; Archbishop Stigand; Edeva the fair
  • Lords of the Manor in 1066: Freeman, one; Freemen, two
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Earl Roger of Shrewsbury
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Earl Roger of Shrewsbury
  • Taxable Value: 1 ³⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £2 10/- in 1066; £1 10/- in 1070; £1 in 1086
  • Households: 2 villagers; 3 smallholders; 1 slave
  • Plough Teams: ¹⁄₂ lord's plough; 1 men's plough (1 ¹⁄₂ plough lands)
  • Meadow: 1 plough

• 2nd Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: Edeva the fair
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Thorbiorn of Orwell
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Count Alan
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Picot of Cambridge (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: ⁷⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £1 10/- in 1066; £1 in 1070; £1 in 1086
  • Households: 6 smallholders
  • Plough Teams: 1 lord's plough; ¹⁄₂ men's plough (1 ¹⁄₂ plough lands)
  • Meadow: 1 plough

• 3rd Manor

  • Overlords in 1066: King Edward; Earl Waltheof
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Freeman, one
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Hardwin of Scales
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Durand (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: ⁷⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: £2 in 1066; £1 in 1070; £1 in 1086
  • Households: 4 cottagers
  • Meadow: ³⁄₄ plough
  • Mills: 1, value 8 shillings

• 4th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: Esger the constable
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Sigar the steward
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Geoffrey de Mandeville
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Sigar the steward (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: ³⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: 10 shillings in 1066; 8 shillings in 1070; 8 shillings in 1086
  • Households: 1 villager
  • Meadow: ¹⁄₄ plough

• 5th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: Earl Harold
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Aki the Dane
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Walter Giffard
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Walter son of Aubrey (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: ¹⁄₄ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: 2 shillings in 1066; 2 shillings in 1070; 2 shillings in 1086
  • Households: 3 smallholders

• 6th Manor

  • Overlord in 1066: King Edward
  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Freeman, one
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Robert Gernon
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Robert Gernon
  • Taxable Value: ¹⁄₄ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: 18/7¼ in 1066; 18/7¼ in 1070; 18/7¼ in 1086
  • Households: 2 smallholders
  • Meadow: ¹⁄₄ plough
  • Mills: 1, value 12 shillings

• 7th Manor

  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Ralph Banks
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Guy of Raimbeaucourt
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Ralph Banks (subinfeudated)
  • Taxable Value: ¹⁄₈ geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: 2 shillings in 1066; 2 shillings in 1086

• 8th Manor

  • Lord of the Manor in 1066: Abbey of Chatteris St Mary
  • Tenant in Chief in 1086: Abbey of Chatteris
  • Lord of the Manor in 1086: Abbey of Chatteris
  • Taxable Value: 0 geld
  • Value to Lord of the Manor: 1 shillings in 1086