After the Battle of Hastings, the Norman army advanced through Kent into Surrey, where they defeated an English force which attacked them at Southwark and then burned that suburb. Rather than try to attack London across the river, the Normans continued west through Surrey, crossed the Thames at Wallingford in Berkshire and descended on London from the north-west. As was the case across England, the native ruling class of Surrey was virtually eliminated by Norman seizure of land. Only one significant English landowner, the brother of the last English Abbot of Chertsey, remained by the time the Domesday survey was conducted in 1086. At that time the largest landholding in Surrey, as in many other parts of the country, was the expanded royal estate, while the next largest holding belonged to Richard fitz Gilbert, founder of the de Clare family.
after the battle of hastings the norman army advanced through kent into surrey where they defeated an english force which attacked them at southwark and then burned that suburb rather than try to attack london across the river the normans continued west through surrey crossed the thames at wallingford in berkshire and descended on london from the north-west as was the case across england the native ruling class of surrey was virtually eliminated by norman seizure of land only one significant english landowner the brother of the last english abbot of chertsey remained by the time the domesday survey was conducted in 1086 at that time the largest landholding in surrey as in many other parts of the country was the expanded royal estate while the next largest holding belonged to richard fitz gilbert founder of the de clare family