Old Book gets new cover - The Domesday Book - the oldest public record held at The National Archives - is now available to the public through Domesday Online, the organisation's latest digitisation project. The original was commissioned in 1085 by William I who conquered England after the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Through this venture, The National Archives hopes people will take the opportunity to examine the book from the comfort of their own homes and learn more about this iconic document, by searching for a specific town, city or village.

For a small fee (£3.50) it is also possible to purchase a copy of the original page featuring the place name and a translation of the entry into modern English, or you can play a quiz and game for free.

The website, provided by The National Archives' DocumentsOnline service, also contains useful information about the history of this 920-year-old document. In 2005 it was voted the nation's finest treasure, yet a recent survey conducted in conjunction with today's launch revealed that less than 1% of the population have actually been to see the original in The National Archives' museum.

Press release ~ Explore Domesday now ~ Medieval Genealogy website ~ BBC Timelines ~ BBC Domesday Project