The Domesday Survey is the first detailed record of Wolverton. The survey was undertaken for King William I in 1086 and was completed in that year. One of the primary purposes of the survey was to record who owned what in 1066 and the situation 20 years later. This gives us a "before" and "after" snapshot.
43 Land of Mainou the Breton
BUK 43,1
In AYLESBURY Hundred
M Mainou the Breton holds 14 1/2 hides in ELLESBOROUGH.
Land for 11 ploughs; in lordship 5 hides; 3 ploughs there.
8 villagers with 10 smallholders have 8 ploughs.
4 slaves; meadow for 3 ploughs; woodland, 100 pigs.
Total value £6; when acquired £4; before 1066 £10.
Leofnoth [* son of Osmund *], King Edward's man, held this manor.
BUK 43,2
In BURNHAM Hundred
In CHALFONT [St Giles] Mainou holds 4 hides and 3 virgates.
Land for 15 ploughs; in lordship 1 hide; 3 ploughs there.
13 villagers and 8 smallholders have 12 ploughs.
4 slaves; 3 mills; one of them pays 5 {orae} and the other two pay
nothing; meadow for 1 plough; woodland, 600 pigs; in this
woodland, a hawk's eyrie.
Total value £6 10s; when acquired 100s; before 1066 £6 10s.
Tovi, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor; his man, Alward,
had 1/2 hide there; he could sell.
BUK 43,3
[In IXHILL Hundred]
In ASTON [Sandford] Odo holds 4 1/2 hides from Mainou.
Land for 4 1/2 ploughs; in lordship 3.
3 villagers with 4 smallholders have 1 1/2 ploughs.
6 slaves; meadow for 2 ploughs.
In total, value 100s; when acquired £4; before 1066, 100s.
Soting, Earl Tosti's man, held this manor; he could sell.
BUK 43,4
In COTTESLOE Hundred
In HELSTHORPE Helgot holds 4 hides and 1 virgate from Mainou as
one manor. Land for 3 ploughs; in lordship 2 ploughs.
2 villagers with 1 plough.
2 slaves; meadow for 3 ploughs.
Value 40s; when acquired 20s; before 1066 £4.
Four thanes held this manor; one was Earl Leofwin's man; the second,
Wulfwynn [* of Creslow *]'s man; the third, Leofwin of Mentmore's man; the fourth,
Brictric's man; they could all sell.
BUK 43,5
In YARDLEY Hundred
In DRAYTON [Beauchamp] Helgot holds 6 hides and 3 virgates
and 3 acres from Mainou as one manor. Land for 4 ploughs; in lordship 1.
13 villagers have 3 ploughs.
2 slaves; meadow for 3 ploughs; woodland, 200 pigs.
In total, the value is and was £4; before 1066, 100s.
Aelfric, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor; he could sell.
BUK 43,6
In `STOTFOLD' Hundred
In LAMPORT Gerard holds 2 1/2 hides from Mainou.
Land for 3 ploughs; in lordship 1.
1 villager with 3 smallholders has 1 plough; another possible.
1 slave; meadow for 1 plough; woodland, 40 pigs.
In total, value 30s; when acquired 16s; before 1066, 30s.
Raven, Bishop Wulfwy's man, held this land; he could sell.
BUK 43,7
In `MOW' Hundred
In THORNBOROUGH Berner holds 14 hides and 1 virgate from Mainou
as one manor. Land for 11 ploughs; in lordship 3.
14 villagers with 8 smallholders have 8 ploughs.
3 slaves; 1 mill at 20s; meadow for 4 ploughs.
Total value £8; when acquired £6; before 1066 £8.
Thori, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor.
BUK 43,8
M Mainou holds PADBURY himself. It answers for 20 hides.
Land for 14 ploughs; in lordship 3; a fourth possible.
15 villagers with 6 smallholders have 8 ploughs;
a further 3 possible.
8 slaves; 1 mill at 15s; woodland, 30 pigs.
Total value £12; when acquired £7; before 1066 £12.
BUK 43,9
In `SECKLEY' Hundred
M Mainou holds STOKE [Hammond] himself. It answers for 10 hides.
Land for 10 ploughs; in lordship 3 hides; 3 ploughs there.
12 villagers with 4 smallholders have 6 ploughs;
a seventh possible.
6 slaves; 1 mill at 8s; meadow for 6 ploughs.
The value is and always was £10.
Eight thanes held this manor. One of them held 6 hides less 1/2
virgate as one manor; he himself and all the other seven could sell
their land to whom they would.
BUK 43,10
In LOUGHTON 2 men-at-arms hold 5 hides from Mainou as one manor.
Land for 5 ploughs; in lordship 2.
6 villagers with 2 smallholders have 1 1/2 ploughs; [another] 1/2 possible.
1 slave; meadow for 5 ploughs.
The total value is and was £3; before 1066 £4.
Aelfric, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor; he could sell.
BUK 43,11
M Mainou holds WOLVERTON himself. It answers for 20 hides.
Land for 20 ploughs; in lordship 9 hides; 5 ploughs there.
32 villagers with 8 smallholders have 10 ploughs;
a further 5 possible.
10 slaves; 2 mills at 32s 8d; meadow for 9 ploughs.
Total value £20; when acquired £15; before 1066 £20.
Three thanes held this manor. One of them, Godwin, Earl Harold's
man, had 10 hides; the second, Thori, one of King Edward's Guards,
had 7 1/2 hides; the third, Aelfric, Queen Edith's man, had 2 1/2 hides;
they could all sell to whom they would.
BUK 43,1
In AYLESBURY Hundred
M Mainou the Breton holds 14 1/2 hides in ELLESBOROUGH.
Land for 11 ploughs; in lordship 5 hides; 3 ploughs there.
8 villagers with 10 smallholders have 8 ploughs.
4 slaves; meadow for 3 ploughs; woodland, 100 pigs.
Total value £6; when acquired £4; before 1066 £10.
Leofnoth [* son of Osmund *], King Edward's man, held this manor.
BUK 43,2
In BURNHAM Hundred
In CHALFONT [St Giles] Mainou holds 4 hides and 3 virgates.
Land for 15 ploughs; in lordship 1 hide; 3 ploughs there.
13 villagers and 8 smallholders have 12 ploughs.
4 slaves; 3 mills; one of them pays 5 {orae} and the other two pay
nothing; meadow for 1 plough; woodland, 600 pigs; in this
woodland, a hawk's eyrie.
Total value £6 10s; when acquired 100s; before 1066 £6 10s.
Tovi, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor; his man, Alward,
had 1/2 hide there; he could sell.
BUK 43,3
[In IXHILL Hundred]
In ASTON [Sandford] Odo holds 4 1/2 hides from Mainou.
Land for 4 1/2 ploughs; in lordship 3.
3 villagers with 4 smallholders have 1 1/2 ploughs.
6 slaves; meadow for 2 ploughs.
In total, value 100s; when acquired £4; before 1066, 100s.
Soting, Earl Tosti's man, held this manor; he could sell.
BUK 43,4
In COTTESLOE Hundred
In HELSTHORPE Helgot holds 4 hides and 1 virgate from Mainou as
one manor. Land for 3 ploughs; in lordship 2 ploughs.
2 villagers with 1 plough.
2 slaves; meadow for 3 ploughs.
Value 40s; when acquired 20s; before 1066 £4.
Four thanes held this manor; one was Earl Leofwin's man; the second,
Wulfwynn [* of Creslow *]'s man; the third, Leofwin of Mentmore's man; the fourth,
Brictric
BUK 43,5
In YARDLEY Hundred
In DRAYTON [Beauchamp] Helgot holds 6 hides and 3 virgates
and 3 acres from Mainou as one manor. Land for 4 ploughs; in lordship 1.
13 villagers have 3 ploughs.
2 slaves; meadow for 3 ploughs; woodland, 200 pigs.
In total, the value is and was £4; before 1066, 100s.
Aelfric, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor; he could sell.
BUK 43,6
In `STOTFOLD' Hundred
In LAMPORT Gerard holds 2 1/2 hides from Mainou.
Land for 3 ploughs; in lordship 1.
1 villager with 3 smallholders has 1 plough; another possible.
1 slave; meadow for 1 plough; woodland, 40 pigs.
In total, value 30s; when acquired 16s; before 1066, 30s.
Raven, Bishop Wulfwy's man, held this land; he could sell.
BUK 43,7
In `MOW' Hundred
In THORNBOROUGH Berner
as one manor. Land for 11 ploughs; in lordship 3.
14 villagers with 8 smallholders have 8 ploughs.
3 slaves; 1 mill at 20s; meadow for 4 ploughs.
Total value £8; when acquired £6; before 1066 £8.
Thori, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor.
BUK 43,8
M Mainou holds PADBURY himself. It answers for 20 hides.
Land for 14 ploughs; in lordship 3; a fourth possible.
15 villagers with 6 smallholders have 8 ploughs;
a further 3 possible.
8 slaves; 1 mill at 15s; woodland, 30 pigs.
Total value £12; when acquired £7; before 1066 £12.
BUK 43,9
In `SECKLEY' Hundred
M Mainou holds STOKE [Hammond] himself. It answers for 10 hides.
Land for 10 ploughs; in lordship 3 hides; 3 ploughs there.
12 villagers with 4 smallholders have 6 ploughs;
a seventh possible.
6 slaves; 1 mill at 8s; meadow for 6 ploughs.
The value is and always was £10.
Eight thanes held this manor. One of them held 6 hides less 1/2
virgate as one manor; he himself and all the other seven could sell
their land to whom they would.
BUK 43,10
In LOUGHTON 2 men-at-arms hold 5 hides from Mainou as one manor.
Land for 5 ploughs; in lordship 2.
6 villagers with 2 smallholders have 1 1/2 ploughs; [another] 1/2 possible.
1 slave; meadow for 5 ploughs.
The total value is and was £3; before 1066 £4.
Aelfric, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor; he could sell.
BUK 43,11
M Mainou holds WOLVERTON himself. It answers for 20 hides.
Land for 20 ploughs; in lordship 9 hides; 5 ploughs there.
32 villagers with 8 smallholders have 10 ploughs;
a further 5 possible.
10 slaves; 2 mills at 32s 8d; meadow for 9 ploughs.
Total value £20; when acquired £15; before 1066 £20.
Three thanes held this manor. One of them, Godwin, Earl Harold's
man, had 10 hides; the second, Thori, one of King Edward's Guards,
had 7 1/2 hides; the third, Aelfric, Queen Edith's man, had 2 1/2 hides;
they could all sell to whom they would.
The Wolverton Manor
The Manor then, and up to 1970, comprised about 2,500 acres of good land bordered by the Watling Street in the West, The River Ouse in the North, and the Bradwell Brook to the East and South.
The "20 hide" assessment meant that it was quite a rich manor for Mainou to claim. The two Mills were still operating when the railways came, and Wolverton Mill is still on the same site after 1,000 years.
The drop in value after 1066 was likely due to the harrying of Buckinghamshire in the aftermath of the Battle of Hastings.
The Manor then, and up to 1970, comprised about 2,500 acres of good land bordered by the Watling Street in the West, The River Ouse in the North, and the Bradwell Brook to the East and South.
The "20 hide" assessment meant that it was quite a rich manor for Mainou to claim. The two Mills were still operating when the railways came, and Wolverton Mill is still on the same site after 1,000 years.
The drop in value after 1066 was likely due to the harrying of Buckinghamshire in the aftermath of the Battle of Hastings.
Glossary
Hide A measurement of land area for tax assessment purposes. It was generally estimated at the amount of land that could support one family - usually about 120 acres.
Virgate A land measurement of approximately 30 acres. 4 virgates could make up a hide.
Thane These were Anglo Saxon men of lordly status.Often the titles were ancient and did not always signify great wealth. There were about 4,000 Thanes at the time of the conquest. The Wolverton Manor was divided between three Thanes.
Hide A measurement of land area for tax assessment purposes. It was generally estimated at the amount of land that could support one family - usually about 120 acres.
Virgate A land measurement of approximately 30 acres. 4 virgates could make up a hide.
Thane These were Anglo Saxon men of lordly status.Often the titles were ancient and did not always signify great wealth. There were about 4,000 Thanes at the time of the conquest. The Wolverton Manor was divided between three Thanes.