25th May, 2007
The Domesday Book
In 1085 William the Conqueror commissioned a great survey of England. Its purpose was to assess what each landholder had, and, to be cynical, for how much they could be taxed.
The astonishing "Domesday Book" was completed in 1086, with such efficiency that the compilers of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles commented:
"...so very closely did he let it be searched out that there was not a single hide nor rod of land - nor, further, it is shameful to tell, though it seemed to him no shame to do it - not an ox, a cow, a pig was left out, that was not set in his document."
Was Wigan mentioned in the Domesday Book?
The quick answer to that question is "no".
The slow answer is "not by name but perhaps in a cryptic way".
In 1086 Lancashire did not exist as such. The Domesday listed the land "Between the Ribble and the Mersey" with Cheshire. The land which is now in North Lancashire was listed with Yorkshire. This all seems very odd to us now.
At that time, the area "between the Ribble and the Mersey". Consisted of six divisions, which were variously called "hundreds" or "wapentakes".
Wigan was in the Neweton hundred, which was named after "Neweton-in-Makerfield", now called Newton-le-Willows. This appears to have been one large manor subdivided into 15 "berewicks" (sub-manors). Unfortunately, the berewicks were not assessed on an individual basis, so little information about landholders is given.
It is claimed that the phrase, "The church of that manor had 1 carucate of land," was a possible reference to Wigan. This is because the town was usually rated for tax purposes as being of one carucate in area. The claim is strengthened by the fact that Wigan was a church manor, ie the church Rector was the landholder.
The case is weakened slightly by the fact that New(e)ton, has never been part of Wigan parish.
Map of the area "between the Ribble and the Mersey" as it was in the year 1086.
This is a simplified version of the map in "A History of Lancashire" by J.J. Bagley published by Phillimore (1976).
The 1986 BBC Domesday Project
In 1985, the BBC commissioned a new Domesday project. Local communities were invited to investigate and record data and opinions about various issues of the time in their local area. Each area was 4km wide and 3 km tall.
In 1986, the results were released on two 12 inch laser discs. These were cutting edge technology at the time but soon became obsolete.
Now, however, the information can be accessed through the internet. If you want to see what issues were thought to have been important in Wigan in 1985, click here, and follow the links until you find the Wigan entries.
Navigation, however, is not straightforward.
Wigan in the 11th century - part 1