Copy of Domesday Entry for (Old) Coulsdon (Colesdone)
in 1086
and English Translation
 The Abbey itself holds Coulsdon. TRE it was
assessed at 20 hides; now at 32 hides
There is land for 10 ploughs. In demesne is 1 plough; and 10 villans and 4 cottars with
6 ploughs. There is a church, and woodland for 3 pigs. TRE it was worth 61; now 71**
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The Abbey mentioned is The Abbey of St Peter of Chertsey
20 hides is about 120 acres
32 hides is about 21 acres
10 villans are feudal surfs
demesne (pronounced demêne) was the home farm of the manor
Cotters occupied cottages and cultivated small plots of land
According to Domesday, the cotters were comparatively few, numbering less than seven thousand scattered unevenly throughout England
They were occupied either in cultivating a small plot of land, or in working on the holdings of the villans
Like the villans, their economic condition may be described as free in relation to every one except their lord
A cottar is also a term for a tenant renting land from a farmer or landlord
or a man occupying a cottage in exchange for work
Only the Head of the family was counted for tax purposes
** This refers to the monetary value of the village and surrounding land
In modern money 61 would be £6, and 71 would be £7
The red line through the name was not a mistake, but rather to show it's importance
The letters TRE stand for Tempus Rex Edwardus, "The time of King Edward"
Edward the Confessor or Eadweard III (c. 1004 – January 4, 1066)
He was succeeded by Harold who was killed at the Battle of Hastings on
October 14th 1066 by receiving an arrow in his eye, but there is a train of thought that
he survived and spent the rest of his life as a farmer
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