Page:Surrey Archaeological Collections Volume 1.djvu/73

 invasion, the only other historical events connected with the county, are those which served as a pretext to William the Conqueror for a descent upon England, namely, the seizure and murder (after the death of Hardicanute, the last Danish sovereign of England) of Prince Alfred, by Godwin, earl of Kent, to avenge which violence, William the Conqueror declared he would proceed against the English shores. The peculiar history of the county at this epoch merges in that of the state and kingdom.

As to topical division, Alfred is supposed, by Ingulphus and William of Malmesbury, to have first parcelled out England in counties, and  these latter into hundreds and tithings; yet, during the Heptarchy, several counties were known by names correspondent with those they now bear; thus, Surrey was Suth-regiona, or Sudergiona. The hundreds of Surrey are thus given in Domesday Book.

Of the Surrey manors, the Conqueror held fourteen himself in demesne.