The Normans - Provided by John Wright
After the Conquest, William crossed the Thames at Wallingford and there received the first submissions of the English leaders. Then came the biggest land grab in English history when the Norman Lords were rewarded with great tracts of land. Among these were Odo Bishop of Bayeaux, (William’s half brother), Miles Crispin, Robert D’Oilly and Count of Evreaux.
These are mentioned in particular because in the Doomday record they are all shown as having parcels of land in the Baldons. The new Bishop of Lincoln also had five hides (five hundred acres) in the Dorchester hundred, later identified as at Little Baldon. This no doubt reflected the loss of the Dorchester Bishopric to Lincoln in 1072.
To the Doomsday clerks the villages were collectively known as “Balderdone” and it was not until the 13th century that Marsh, Toot and Little and Baldon St Lawrence were separately identified.
For the Saxon aristocracy, the Norman invasion was a total disaster. What of the serfs? They probably noticed little difference. Life could hardly have got worse!!
Acknowledgement Victoria County History