The Domesday Book (Edexcel GCSE History)

Worked Example

Describe two features of the Domesday Book

4 marks

Answer: 

One feature of the Domesday Book was to identify how people used the land in England (1). The survey identified if each section of land was woodland or arable (1)

Another feature of the Domesday Book was discovering who owned land in England (1). There were areas of land that multiple people claimed ownership of after the Norman Conquest (1)

Exam Tip

When answering ‘Describe two features of…’ questions, the four marks are given to you for:

• Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic. For example, how people used the land

• Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made. For example, how land could be used as woodland or arable 

To achieve full marks, you must do these steps twice

Exam Tip

An exam question may ask you how far you agree that the Domesday Book was financially significant. When approaching this style of question, consider:

• The extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement. Use words like 'partially' or 'fully' to explain this

• The strength of both sides of the argument. William wanted to discover how much tax he could raise and which land he could make his own. However, William faced a potential military threat, which triggered the meeting in 1085. This showed the Domesday Book had important military purposes

• Concluding your thoughts with a reflection on key concepts. You should consider short- and long-term consequences, importance and impact. For example, the Domesday Book was the most detailed survey of landholding in Europe for centuries. This had long-term consequences on how English medieval kings calculated tax, showing its financial significance