The Doomsday Book, or Domesday Book,was a record of the country in the year 1086 compiled for William the Conquerer. The purpose of the book was to determine what land was owned by different lords in the country and how much tax they owed the new king.

Taunton is mentioned in this book and the following is an extract from it.

The Bishop of Winchester holds Taunton. Archbishop Strigand held it in the time of King Edward, and it paid the geld for fifty-four hides, and two yard-lands and a half, of which there was arable land sufficient for one hundred ploughs. Besides this the Bishop has in demense twenty carucates which never paid the geld, and thirteen ploughs. There are eighty villans, eighty-two bordars, seventy bondmen or slaves, sixteen coliberti, and seven pound ten shillings, and amongst them all they have sixty ploughs.
There are sixty-four burgesses in Taunton who pay thirty-two shillings or six-pence each, to the Bishop of Winchester for his protection.
There are three mills which render ninety-five shillings.
The market yeilds fifty shillings.
There is a mint at Taunton which yeilds a profit of fifty shillings.
There are forty acres of meadow, a common of pasture two miles long and one mile broad; and a wood one mile in length and the same in breadth.
When Bishop Walchelin received this manor it paid fifty pounds, it now pays one hundred and forty four pounds and thirteen pence, with all its appendages and customs.
These are the customs of Taunton; Burgheristh, Latrones, Hundred-pence, Breach of the peace, Heinfare, Church-set, and St. Peters Pence, the tenants attend the Bishop's courts three times in the year without being summoned, and go to the army with the Bishop's men
The lands in the manor of Taunton subject to these customs are Tolland, Oake, Holford, Upper-Cheddon, Lower Cheddon, Maidenbrook, Langford, Bishops Hull, and Heale, Ninehead, Norton Bradford, Halse, Heathfield, Shapnoller and Stoke; but the tenants of the two last are not liable to go to the army.
The tenants of Bagborough are subject to the same customs, except attendance on the army and on funerals.
The tenants of all these lands come to Taunton to swear fealty and to have justice administered; and when the lords of these lands die they are buried in Taunton.
Bishop's Hull and Heale could not be separated from Taunton in the time of King Edward.
Of the above said fifty four hides and a half a yard land, Geoffrey now holds of the Bishop four hides and one yard lands Rebert holds four hides and a half; There are in demense ten ploughs and twelve bondmen, ternty villians and twenty eight bordars or cootagers, with ten ploughs. There are thirty seven acres of meadow, and forty three acres of woodland, and a mill which belongs to the said Hugh, of the value of three shillings.
The value of these lands altogether is twenty seven pounds.