The Domesday Entry for Guilden Morden
Domesday Entry
Domesday entry translation
There are a number of entries which apply to Guilden Morden in the Domesday Book 1086.
Probably, there was no great distinction between Steeple and Guilden Morden – both villages being thinly populated and spread out. Steeple Morden is directly referred to and Guilden is assumed – the “Other Morden” or as “Morden”.
The entries refer to four people to whom the land has been given by the William I or Willliam the Bastard as he was more affectionally known: Sheriff Picot of Cambridge, Lord Hardwin of Scales, and Geoffrey de Mandeville and the above, Earl Roger. The largest manor was that of Picot’s, at 3 and a half hides, 8 freemen, one slave and a mill. This passed to his successor, Pain Peverel and then to his son, William Peverel, who died without issue. Subsequently the holdings passed down as five manors. Pichards, Bondesbury, Odsey, Avenels and one around Town’s End Farm.
Geoffrey de Mandeville’s estate became Foxleys Manor and Earl Roger’s land passed with the Shingay manor to the Knights Hospitallers and their successors.
Some of the names and places can be recognised, in Fox Cottage, Fox Corner, Fox Hill, Fox Hill Rd. Avenels is opposite the Old Post Office and Town House at the corner of High St and Church St. Shingay retains its name in the title of the local united benefice of the Church Of England. Bell’s Meadow, Cannons Close, Dubbs Knoll, were all named after included or adjacent fields.
A “hide” is usually reckoned as 120 acres and a “virgate” as a quarter of a hide. The Mill was almost certainly at the site of Hooks Mill.
Medieval Life —
Law and Disorder in the 14th Century;
17th century onwards
William Dowsing smashes up Shingay in 1644
Short Histories – Village, Chapel & School
Local History of Guilden Morden
History of the Congregational Church
A short history of the village school
Other Topics
Population figures since 1086AD
Anglicans, Congregationalists and Quakers