Boldon Book facts for kids
The Boldon Book (also called the Boldon Buke) is a very old record from 1183. It's like a detailed survey of lands belonging to the Bishop of Durham. This survey was ordered by Hugh du Puiset, who was the Bishop of Durham at the time. He wanted to better manage the huge areas of land the church owned.
This book is similar to the famous Domesday Book, which was made about a century earlier. The Boldon Book covered the bishop's lands in what is now County Durham. It also included other parts of North East England. After the Norman Conquest, these lands paid taxes to the Prince-Bishop of Durham, not directly to the King of England. The Boldon Book was the first survey of its kind done north of the River Tees. In this area, the king's power was not as strong.
What the Boldon Book Recorded
Like the Domesday Book, the Boldon Book is a "custumal account." This means it listed all the things people owed to the Bishop. This included their work, money, and farm produce. These payments were based on old traditions and customs.
The survey included areas like North Durham (Norhamshire) and Bedlingtonshire. However, it did not cover lands owned by other powerful landowners in the north. The Bishop's own estate at Boldon was listed early in the survey. Many later entries mentioned dues "as at Boldon." This is how the book got its name.
The book recorded what was owed by individual people and by whole communities. It shows that the economy in the North was mostly about farming and raising animals. This was different from the South East of England, where more records exist. The book also highlights large estates that often included several villages. Sometimes these villages even shared a single demesne, which was the land kept for the lord's own use.
Where to Find the Boldon Book Today
Four copies of the Boldon Book still exist. The oldest copy was made in the 13th century. It was once part of the Temple family's collection at Stowe House. Today, this important historical document is kept safe in the British Library.
