The Domeday book meets the internet. Who would have thought way back in the late eleventh century that one day the Domesday book would be online.

The Domesday book is the earliest surviving public record. It is a highly detailed survey and valuation of all the land held by the King and his chief tenants in late 11th century England. The book was actually commissioned by William Duke of Normandy as he needed to know what financial resources were available to him. Britain was under threat of invasion from Denmark in 1085 and he had to pay an army of mercenaries to defend the country.

The name Domesday may have been coined as a reference to Judgement day when Christ will return to judge the living and the dead.

The site can be found here but be warned it may be very busy. I could not get on the site at all when I tried it.