Bodmin Jail, Cornwall: Hiding the Domesday Book

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Increasing air attacks on London and concerns for the security of some of the country’s most important records and documents prompted a plan to hide thousands of them away. Described as perhaps the ‘most famous census ever’ and ‘Britain’s finest treasure’; the Domesday Book came to Bodmin Jail in early 1918. “From what we understand the entire documented history of Britain up until the late 19th Century was stored here during the war. We’ve got records of 3,418 bundles of documents amounting to nearly 19,600 items actually being stored here,” says Chris Wilkes from Bodmin Jail. And this is confirmed by the National Archives at Kew. Today the Domesday Book manuscript is held at The National Archives at Kew and remains an invaluable source for modern historians and historical economists. Location: Bodmin Jail, Cornwall PL31 2NR Image: Bodmin Jail