Domesday Book – Fonthill Bishop:
Land of the Bishop of Winchester.
The Bishop holds Fonthill.
Prior to 1066 it paid tax for 10 hides.
Land for 7 ploughs.
In lordship are 5 hides of this land;
2 ploughs there; 5 slaves.
8 villagers and 5 smallholders with 3 ploughs.
A mill at 5 shillings.
Meadow, 8 acres; pasture half a league
long and 3 furlongs wide.
Woodland as much.
The value was £10 but is now £14.
Land of the Bishop of Salisbury.
The Bishop holds Charnage.
Algar held it before 1066.
It paid tax for 5 hides.
Land for 3 ploughs.
Of this land 4 hides are in lordship; 2 ploughs there.
3 villagers, 6 smallholders and 2 cottagers with 1 and a half ploughs.
Meadow, 10 and a half acres, pasture 3 furlongs long and 2 furlongs wide.
Woodland 2 furlongs long and 1 furlong wide.
The value was 40 shillings but is now £4.
This is in exchange for Shipley. Hugh holds from the Bishop.
1086
The Canons of Lisieux.
The Canons of Lisieux hold [Kingston] Deverill.
Edith held it before 1066, it paid tax for 4 hides.
Land for 3 ploughs, of which 3 and a half hides, less than 3 acres, are in lordship;
1 plough there; 2 slaves.
6 Cottagers with 1 villager have 1 plough.
Meadow 3 acres. Pasture 4 furlongs long and 3 furlongs wide.
The value was 40 shillings but is now 70 shillings.
1086
MADDINGTON
Land of the Church of Amesbury.
The Church holds Maddington itself.
Before 1066 it paid tax for 4 and a half hides.
Land for 2 ploughs.
Of this land 2 and a half hides are in lordship; 1 plough there.
4 villagers, 4 smallholders and 2 Cottagers with 1 plough.
Meadow 8 acres. Pasture 10 acres.
The value was and still is £4.
SHREWTON
Land of Edward of Salisbury.
Wulfeva held it before 1066, it paid tax for 3 hides.
Land for 3 ploughs.
Godfrey holds from Edward.
Of this land he hold 2 hides in lordship; 2 ploughs there; 4 slaves.
4 villagers and 4 smallholders with 1 plough.
A mill which pays 5 shillings.
Meadow 6 acres.
Woodland 30 acres.
Pasture 6 furlongs long and 4 furlongs wide.
The value was and is £3.
Land of Edward of Salisbury.
Edward holds Boyton for himself.
Alwin held it before 1066, it paid tax for 11 and a half hides.
Land for 6 ploughs, of which 8 and a half hides are in lordship;
3 ploughs there; 5 slaves.
7 villagers and 5 Cottagers with 2 ploughs.
A mill which pays 15 shillings.
Meadow 10 acres.
Pasture 4 furlongs long and 3 furlongs wide.
Woodland 3 furlongs long and as many wide.
The value was £8 but is now £11 10 shillings.
Ditchampton in the Domesday Book, 1086:
Land of the Bishop of Bayeaux.
The Bishop also holds Ditchampton and Robert from him.
Azor held it prior to 1066; it paid tax for 2 hides.
Land for 2 ploughs; 18 cottagers have them.
4 mills which pay 27 shillings.
Meadow 4 acres. Pasture 10 acres.
The value was 100 shillings but is now £8.
Sherrington ~
The place name was recorded as Scarentone in 1086.
Sherrington ~
The place name was recorded as Scearntune in 968.
Scearn-tun means “mud farmstead” or “dung farmstead.”
The Urban District Of Warminster Official Guide 1957/8 noted that:
The first known reference to Warminster is in a document among the Canterbury MSS dated about A.D. 900 : “And Aethlem Higa went from that suit when the King was at Worgemynster, Ordlaf, and Osforth, and Odda, and Withbord, and Aefstan the Bald, and Aethelmoth, being witnesses.”
From The Warminster Official Guide And Souvenir 1928 (penned by Victor Strode Manley):
The Saxon ravages began about 500 A.D., and following on their heels came the Danes. Alfred rallied the men of Wessex at Cley Hill in 878 A.D. and forced their surrender at Westbury White Horse, thus laying the foundation of the British Empire in this district.
