Domesday

Here is a summary of Stubton’s entry in the Domesday Book and its historical context:

Stubton in the Domesday Book (1086)

• Location: Stubton was a settlement in the hundred of Loveden, Lincolnshire.
• Population: It had 30 households, which placed it in the largest 40% of settlements recorded in the Domesday Book—making it a relatively significant village for the time.
• Land Ownership: The Domesday Book lists three main landholders for Stubton:
  1. Norman of Arcy:
     • 1 smallholder, 1 ploughland, 34 acres of meadow.
     • Annual value to the lord: 5 shillings in 1086 (down from 10 shillings in 1066).
     • Lord in 1066: Toki (son of Auti).
     • The land was possibly “waste” (uncultivated or unproductive) when acquired.
  2. Norman of Arcy (second entry):
     • 3 smallholders, 1 ploughland, 0.5 lord’s plough teams, 5 acres of meadow.
     • Annual value: 10 shillings (unchanged from 1066).
     • Lord in 1086: Gamal; Lord in 1066: Ulfkil.
  3. Geoffrey Alselin:
     • 20 freemen, 5 smallholders, 1 priest.
     • 7 ploughlands, 1 lord’s plough team, 7 men’s plough teams, 120 acres of meadow, and 1 church.
     • Lord in 1066: Toki (son of Auti).
     • Lords in 1086: Geoffrey Alselin and one man-at-arms.

• Church and Priest: The Domesday entry for Stubton mentions a church and a priest, indicating the village had an established religious presence even in the 11th century.
• Economy and Land Use: The records show a mix of smallholdings, ploughland, and meadow, reflecting a typical rural economy based on agriculture and livestock.
• Name Origin: The name “Stubton” comes from Old English, meaning a farmstead where there are tree stumps (“Stubb ton”). In the Domesday Book, it appears as “Stobetun” or “Stubetune”. 

Additional Context

• The Domesday Book was a survey ordered by William the Conqueror in 1085 to assess landholdings and resources across England for taxation and administrative purposes. It is not a census of the population, but rather a record of landholders and resources. [nationalar…ves.gov.uk]
• The population figure of 30 households would likely represent a total population of around 120–150 people, as only heads of households were recorded.