DOMESDAY BOOK (1086 AD) FOR SOHAM

 Domesday Book (1086 AD)

William the Conqueror, the self proclaimed King of the Normans, having defeated the Saxon King Harold, commissioned this survey of his new lands. Soham was described in Domesday Book as ‘Land of the King’, and was amongst his most important holdings in Cambridgeshire.

 Domesday Survey
(Extract from the Domesday Book)
(1 hide = approx 120 acres, 1/2 hide =2 virgates, 1 virgate 30 acres)

 Land of the King (Saham Maneriu regis)

Soham is a manor of the King’s It answers for 9 1/2 hides 
Land for 14 ploughs
16 villagers and 16 smallholders with 12 ploughs 
In Lordship 2 ploughs
4 slaves
2 mills at 24s
from fisheries 3,500 eels
meadow for 14 ploughs (14 plough teams) 
pasture for village livestock (cattle)
7 fishermen there, who pay to the King a presentation of fish three times a year, according 
to what they can. In total value, it pays £25 a year assayed and weighed, and £13 8s 4d at 
face value in white pence for corn, malt, honey, and other small customary dues. (White 
pence was the exact weight of coinage, and not its face value deficiencies caused by wear 
would have to be made up) 
Before 1066 it paid £25 at face value, and three days’ revenue in corn, honey, malt, and 
everything else.
King Edward always had this manor in Lordship
In Soham King William has 6 hides and 40 acres, in his writ

 Land of the Abbot of Ely

In Soham the Abbot also holds 1/2 hide
Land for 2 ploughs
In lordship 1
3 villagers and 10 smallholders with 1 plough
Meadow for 2 ploughs
pasture for the village livestock
1 boat which fishes in the Mere by customary right Value
30s
When acquired 20s
before 1066, 30s
This land always lay in the lands of the Church.

 Land of Saint Edmund

In Soham the Abbot holds 6 acres of land himself 
1 fisherman who has one fishing net in the village mere 
the value is and was 4s
before 1066 5s
This land lies and always lay in the lordship of St. Edmunds Church

 Land of Count Alan

In Soham Adestan holds 1 hide from the Count
Land for 4 ploughs
In lordship 1 plough ‘.
5 villagers and 8 smallholders have 2 ploughs
a third possible (a third may be made up)
Meadow for 3 ploughs
pasture for the village livestock
1500 eels
In Soham Mere 1 fishing net for customary dues
Value 60s
When acquired £6, before 1066 as much
Alfsi held this land under Edeva; he could withdraw without her permission

 Total land in Soham

17 hides & 46 acres or approx 2,086 acres

Extracts from the Domesday Book 1086 AD for Soham taken from "The Soham Book 2000" By Donna Martin