History

The Norman Conquest 

With the defeat of King Harold at Hastings in 1066 William 1 captured the throne of England. In 1086 he ordered a survey of the country to establish the value of his kingdom, mainly for taxation purposes.

The two large volumes of records became known as the Domesday Book. The borough of Droitwich was England’s major salt producing centre and is the most frequently mentioned place in the Domesday Book.

Many manors and villages in Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire had rights in the Droitwich Salt Works. By 1086 eight Lords held property in the town itself.