Volume I ( about Great Domesday)
The Great Domesday, also known as Volume I, is one half of the information that comprises the Domesday survey. Volume I contains detailed information that is related to every region of England except for the northern area. In addition to this, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex are not mentioned. The reason for the Domesday survey project being broken down into two sections is not well understood by historians. Some believe that this document was reduced in a way that allowed it to avoid the issue of livestock and the size of the population. The project was discontinued shortly after William's death in 1087.
The Great Domesday uses less parchment than the Little Domesday. While the Little Domesday is comprised of 475 sheets of parchment, the Great Domesday uses only 413 sheets of parchment. This may sound strange since the Little Domesday referred to as being "little." However, this name was given in reference to the size of the sheets rather than the number of sheets that made up these surveys. The Great Domesday was one of the most ambitious projects to ever occur during the Middle Ages. While the accuracy of the document was exaggerated by those who lived during the time of its creation, it is highly detailed, and it gives historians a deeper understanding of lives of people who lived during this time.
Original Authors: Stephen Palmer
Edit Update Authors: RPN
Updated On: 06/02/2007
