Wanstead in the Domesday Book

In the famous Domesday Book survey of 1086, Wanstead, in the hundred of Becontree, is listed thus under the land of the Bishop of London:

(I have added definitions of the terminology)

“St. Paul held Wanstead; now Ralph fitzBrian holds it of the bishop as 1 manor and 1 hide [hide: the amount of land that would support a household]. There was then 1 plough in demesne [demesne: where the produce is for the Lord of the Manor and not his tenants]; now 1½. Then as now the men had 2 ploughs and there are 3 villans [villan: peasant of higher economic status]. There were then 7 bordars [border: peasant of lower economic status]; now 8. There were then 2 slaves; now none. There is woodland for 300 pigs. There is now 1 mill. Then as now there was 1 saltpan and it is worth 40s.”

Researched by Nicholas Dixon