Emsworth in the Domesday Book

1086

Emsworth is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as part of the manor of Warblington, held by the Bishop of Exeter. The entry records agricultural land and a small population, confirming that the settlement was established and functioning by the time of the Norman Conquest. The harbour and its fisheries are not specifically mentioned in the Domesday entry, but the coastal location and the tidal inlet would have been central to the community's economy. Warblington, the neighbouring manor, was the more significant settlement at this date, with its own church. The relationship between Emsworth and Warblington would evolve over the following centuries as Emsworth grew in importance through its harbour trade.