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Domesday Delving

Domesday Delving

By: Claire Stephen-Walker
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 Domesday Delving is a journey back in time to explore the hidden histories of England's towns and villages as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. From the lives of local peasants and the roles of medieval churches to the power struggles between lords, each episode offers an engaging and in-depth look at a different location in medieval England. Whether you have a personal connection to a place or are simply curious about the past, Domesday Delving brings history to life with vivid storytelling and expert insights.

Episodes are uploaded weekly on Tuesdays.Claire Stephen-Walker Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • DD - Episode 41 - Mortlake

    DD - Episode 41 - Mortlake
    Jun 3 2025
    This week, we head to Mortlake in Surrey, a manor so rich in assets it even held properties in London and Southwark.

    Once the domain of Archbishop Stigand and later seized by Lanfranc, Mortlake offers a window into the tangled relationship between church and state after the Norman Conquest. We look at the political rivalry between these two ecclesiastical giants, the Church's role in government, and how rural manors ended up controlling urban real estate.

    Along the way, we unpack strange terms like "messuage," revisit the question of Harold’s legitimacy, and explore what happens when religion and political power become too closely entwined.

    Domesday Delving has a Patreon here: patreon.com/DomesdayDelving

    And if you want to escape medieval England for a cyberpunk future, Payback is available here: https://books2read.com/u/4AyO5e

    This episode brought to you by Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom.
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    17 mins
  • DD - Episode 40 - Upper Beeding

    DD - Episode 40 - Upper Beeding
    May 27 2025
    What do a royal farm, a fallen estate, and a couple of jars of honey have in common? This week we travel to Upper Beeding in Sussex, once one of the most valuable holdings in the entire county, to uncover a story of royal wealth, Norman redistribution, and the small, sweet traces of medieval beekeeping.

    We’ll explore the unique administrative structure of Sussex, explain what on earth a “rape” is (yes, really), and examine why a place that once rendered nearly £100 under King Edward was worth less than half that just twenty years later. Along the way, we dive into the fascinating, buzzing world of medieval beekeeping—complete with wax, war-hives, and the earliest beekeeping suits.

    And in our reflections from past to present, we consider what this tiny Domesday entry can teach us about fragile infrastructure, overlooked labour, and how much is hidden in the smallest details.Join the discussion in the Domesday Delving Facebook group, where you’ll find medieval honeycake and mead recipes inspired by this episode.

    Support the podcast at patreon.com/DomesdayDelving

    This episode brought to you with the support of Hermelinda Emelisse Theedom.
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    12 mins
  • DD - Episode 39 - Special - Lady Asa

    DD - Episode 39 - Special - Lady Asa
    May 20 2025
    In this special episode of Domesday Delving, we take a step back from villages and livestock to explore one of the most remarkable stories buried in the margins of the Domesday Book: the case of Asa, a woman in pre-Conquest England who held land in her own right, kept it after separating from her husband, and stood as its lawful lady, only to lose it all after 1066.

    Her story isn't just a legal oddity. It’s a window into a world where Anglo-Saxon women had more rights than we often remember, and where the Norman conquest erased far more than just names on a page. Along the way, we explore how religious and cultural changes affected women’s rights, why Asa’s land was taken despite clear testimony in her favour, and how quickly rights can vanish when power decides they no longer exist.

    If you want to join the Patreon, here’s the link: patreon.com/DomesdayDelving
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    14 mins
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Thank You for making this Podcast! The book itself is fascinating but is just a government document. The podcast brings is it to life in an engaging and charming way. I'll be following along.

Brilliant!

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