198 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
an ox, nor a cow, nor a swine was left that was not set down in 
his writ." This miraculous perfection of detail, attributed to the 
Survey by the Saxon scribe, was hardly reached, but the work 
would be a marvel of accuracy and completeness for any age. The 
full record is contained in two volumes, is called the Exchequer 
Domesday, and deals with the whole of England except the four 
Northern Counties. This is really a revised summary of the 
original returns ; and further details are contained in the more 
fragmentary records of the Survey called the Exon Domesday, 
which belongs to the Chapter Library at Exeter, and in the Inquisi- 
tion of Ely. It is in the Exeter Domesday that the returns of the 
stock for the Western Counties are to be found; and I purpose to 
lay both records under contribution. 
There is at times much difficulty in identifying the particular 
estates recorded. Concerning a large proportion of the manors no 
doubt can exist ; but when the old names have been lost, or so 
mutilated in the course of centuries as to be past recognition, or 
where there are several manors with the same general name, the 
task of identification is never easy, and ofttimes hopeless. Oc- 
casionally indeed some clue is afforded by the conditions of 
ownership, the order of occurrence, or by special features which 
limit the applicability of a description — the existence of a salt- 
work, for example, or a fishery ; and I have found such hints very 
valuable in tracing some of our local manors, nearly the whole of 
which we may assign with absolute certainty. Some surprise may 
be felt at the insignificance of a large proportion of the Domesday 
estates. Bear in mind, however, that the manor was in its origin 
merely a farm place — a clearing or enclosure amidst the woods and 
moorlands, and that every estate was deemed either a manor or an 
appendant to a manor, and the fact will cease to astonish. 
To set forth more clearly than mere description would allow, the 
general results of my local Domesday analysis, I have prepared a 
slight sketch-map of the district as it appeared in the reign of the 
Conqueror, with the names of the manors from the Exchequer 
Book. In an appendix will also be found details of the various 
entries, with others of special interest alphabetically arranged ; the 
Exchequer text being supplemented by the additional particulars 
and variations, if any, of the Exeter. The modern names are also 
given, and doubtful identifications duly marked. Tables bring 
