Comments on: Guest Post: In the Domesday Book … or Not?

By: Andre Mostert from Champaign, IL

Andre Mostert from Champaign, IL — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:41:29 +0000

Great article Allison. Thank you.
My future wife, Tepa Aunola, and I were missionaries when the London temple was dedicated. Our Finnish Mission president took 50 of us to the Open House and Dedication. I remember hearing or reading about the property being listed in the Doomsday Book. After our missions, she and I were engaged in Glasgow, Scotland and then on April 30, 1960 married in Brighton and sealed in the London Temple. Many years later she and a friend stayed with the friend’s missionary parents at the ancient medievel guest house on the Temple property. It is old, but does not date to Doomsday Book times.

By: Mormon Soprano

Mormon Soprano — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:48:08 +0000

This is fascinating! Thanks for sharing it. I would think the Church history library might include an account in their records of how the land was purchased, and possibly some research was done on the historical background at that time? Congrats on being featured in the DesNews BBB. Cheers, MoSop

By: kevinf

kevinf — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:01:38 +0000

I’m impressed that you can read what is written on that link to the Domesday book, in Old English and the script of the times. I read some Chaucer in the original middle English back in college, and could barely figure it out when it was set in Times New Roman. This is pretty undecipherable for me.

By: Anne (UK)

Anne (UK) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:37:30 +0000

Excellent post !

By: Bruce Crow

Bruce Crow — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:20:26 +0000

Admirable work, Alison. Urban legends are so fun. I’m glad at least this one turned out to have validity, even if the origin was a little vague.

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:55:12 +0000

In that long and detailed history of the Newchapel Manor linked to by Alison is this interesting detail:

The London Temple, known locally as the Mormon Temple, has become a landmark for the area, being clearly visible to travellers from both the road and the air.

That “clearly visible . . . from . . . the air” struck a familiar chord. Now, where are those posts about the temples providing landmarks for airplanes approaching various airports?

By: The Other Clark

The Other Clark — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:25:26 +0000

Now all we need is the claim that the manor got it's name because Joseph of Arimathea walked from Glastonbury to Walkhamstead in the first century AD and dedicated the land as the site of a future temple! Just like Moroni did. That should kick it back to urban legend status. great post!

By: Amy T

Amy T — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:35:41 +0000

Wonderful! What a story. Very cool to find out that an urban legend was true, since they so often aren’t.

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:11:23 +0000

This is terrific, Alison! Thanks.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:38:26 +0000

Beyond the sheer romance of knowing such long-ago details of a site (how many of us know what the locals called our lands so very long ago, or the names of their owners??), here’s what I like about what Alison teaches about practicing history:

1. She noticed the claims made about this site.

2. Rather than simply nodding or shrugging, especially when she noticed that some sources made the claim and others omitted it, her curiosity was provoked enough to look for verification.

3. This wasn’t a one-time search. When her curiosity wasn’t satisfied, Alison returned to the question later and re-searched, discovering newly available materials that provided solid evidence for the previously unsupported claim.

So cool.