Doomsday Book

Following the  invasion by William of Normandy in 1066, he set about recording what or how much each landowner held in land and livestock, and what it is worth.  A number of the Otmoor "towns" are mentioned:

Ash

Ash - once a village in the now parish of Horton cum Studley.  The village has completely disappeared.  The out line of the village and Ash Hall were visible until the 1970s when they were destroyed when the land was levelled for ploughing.

Before the Norman Conquest Ash had been held by Azor, son of Titi, Queen Edith’s man (VCH Bucks) who had also held Ifley and other areas. Like Beckley, Ash became part of the honor of St Valery. At the time of the Doomsday book, the village of Studley or Ash was in 1086 held by Roger d’Ivry. "Roger d’Ivry held 2 hides of land at ‘Lesa (Ash) and Picot held of him, with 2 serfs on the demesne and 4 villeins and 2 bordars. (Beckley itself had 6 serfs on the demesne, 11 villeins and 6 bordars ( A smallholder) making the combined village of about 100 persons).  (A Vellein is a Norman term for a tenant of manorial land)  Ash therefore had four farms and six smallholdings and probably covered the area marked in the 1641 as Asham Mead, Asham Marsh and Asham Mead as well as lands around Hall Close. The doomsday book records a wood at Beckley and one at Ash for 200 swine. The latter may be Priors Wood at Studley.  At one time the woodland in the area of Studley Wood Golf Club was more extensive and formed part of Henry II hunting park.

Beckley and Woodeaton

Land of Roger of Ivry

Roger of Ivry hold Beckley. 6 hides. Land for 7 ploughs.

Now in the Lordship 2 ploughs; 6 slaves.

    11 villagers with 6 smallholders have 5 ploughs.

    Meadow, 20 acres; pasture 1 league long and 2 furlongs wide.

The value was 100s now £8.

He has this land, with 2 hides.

Fulk holds 3 hides in Eaton from Roger. Land for 7 ploughs.

Now in the Lordship 2; 2 slaves.

    13 smallholders with 2 ploughs.

    Meadow 18 acres; moor, 26 acres; woodland 6 furlongs long and 4 furlongs wide.

The value is and was 60s.

Charlton on Otmoor

Land of Hugh of Grandmesnil

Roger of Ivry holds Charlton from Hugh. 10 hides.

Land for 15 ploughs. In the Lordship 4 ploughs; 6 slaves. 15 villagers and 11 smallholders have 11 ploughs.

    Meadow 4 furlongs long and 2 furlongs wide;

    pasture 3 furlongs long and 2 furlongs wide.

The value was £8; now £10.

Baldwin held it freely.

Of this land 4 hides are in Lordship.

Islip and Oddington

Land of Roger of Ivry's wife

Roger of Ivry's wife holds 5 hides at Islip from the King.  Three of these hides never paid tax. Land for 15 ploughs. Now in the lordship 3 ploughs; 2 slaves.

    10 villagers and with 5 smallholders have 3 ploughs. 

    A Mill at 20s; meadow, 30 acres; pasture 3 furlongs long and 2 wide.

She also holds 3 hides and 1/2 virgate of land in Oddington from the King.  Land for 3 ploughs. Now in the Lordship 2 ploughs; 2 slaves.

    10 villagers with 4 smallholders have 2 ploughs.

    Meadow, 40 acres; pasture 3 furlongs long and 2 furlongs wides.  

The value was 40s now 60s.  

Alfwy held it freely before 1066.

Stanton St John, Forest Hill, Woodperry

Land of the Bishop of Bayeux.

Roger holds Forest Hill from the Bishop. 3 hides. Land for 3 ploughs.

Now in the Lordship 1 plough, with 1 slave.

    3 villagers with 2 smallholders1 plough.

    Copse, 2 furlongs long and one wide.

The value was 4-s now 20s.

He also holds Woodperry from the bishop. 4 hides. Land for 4 ploughs. 

Now in the Lordship 1 plough; 4 slaves.

    5 villagers with 2 smallholders have 2 ploughs.

    Meadow, 30 acres; pasture, 15 acres; woodland 5 furlongs long and 2 furlongs wide.

The value is and was 20s

Ibert holds Stanton from the Bishop. 10 hides.

Land for 11 ploughs. Now in the Lordship 3 ploughs; 8 slaves.

    16 villagers with 8 smallholders have 5 ploughs.

    Meadow, 60 acres; pasture, 60 acres, woodland 1 league long and 4 furlongs wide.

The value was £12; now £10.