Anglo-Saxon Charters (pre-A.D. 900)

Browse the complete digital corpus of early English diplomas catalogued by Sawyer number and archive

A.D. 604 (28 April). Æthelberht, king, to St Andrew and his church at Rochester; grant of land at Rochester. Latin with English bounds.

A.D. 605 (Canterbury). Æthelberht, king of Kent, to St Peter; grant of land to the east of Canterbury for the foundation of a minster. Latin with English bounds.

A.D. 605 (Canterbury). Æthelberht, king of the English, to St Augustine for the minster of SS Peter and Paul (St Augustine's), Canterbury; grant of land to the east of Canterbury. Latin with bounds.

A.D. 605 (9 Jan.). Æthelberht, king of the English, to the church of SS Peter and Paul (St Augustine's), Canterbury; grant of land at Sturry alias Chislet, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 604 x 616. Æthelberht, king, to Mellitus, bishop, and St Paul's minster; grant of land at Tillingham, Essex. Latin.

Eadbald, king, to the minster of SS Peter and Paul (St Augustine's), Canterbury; grant of 30 sulungs (aratra) at Northbourne, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 675 (1 April). Hlothhere, king of Kent, to St Peter's Minster (St Augustine's), Canterbury; grant of 3 sulungs (aratra) in Stodmarsh, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 679 (Reculver, May). Hlothhere, king of Kent, to Abbot Beorhtwald and his minster; grant of land at Westanae on the Isle of Thanet, and in Sturry, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 686 (June). Eadric, king of Kent, to St Peter's Minster (St Augustine's), Canterbury; grant of 3 sulungs (aratra) near Stodmarsh, Kent. Latin with bounds.

A.D. 689 (Canterbury, 1 March). Swæfheard (Suabhardus), king of Kent, to Æbba, abbess (of Minster-in-Thanet); grant of 44 hides (manentes) in Sudaneie in Thanet, and 12 hides in Sturry, Kent; with confirmation by Æthelred, king of the Mercians, A.D. 691 (? Marefield and Stapleford, Leics., 8 January). Latin.

Swæfheard (Suabertus), king of Kent, to Æbba, abbess (of Minster-in-Thanet); grant of 2 sulungs (aratra) in Sturry and 3 at Bodsham, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 689 (July). Oswine, king of Kent, to St Peter's Minster (St Augustine's, Canterbury) and Abbot Hadrian; grant of 1 sulung (aratrum) of iron-bearing land, formerly belonging to the royal vill at Lyminge, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 690 (27 January). Oswine, king of Kent, to Æbba, abbess (of Minster-in-Thanet); grant of 10 hides (manentes) in Sturry, Kent. Latin.

Oswine, king of Kent, to Æbba, abbess (of Minster-in-Thanet); grant of 18 hides (manentes) in the Isle of Thanet, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 694 (17 July). Wihtred, king of Kent, to Æbba, abbess; grant of 4 sulungs (aratra) at Humantun in Thanet, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 696 or 711 (March). Wihtred, king of Kent, and his wife Æthelburg to St Peter's Minster (St Augustine's), Canterbury; grant of 5 sulungs (aratra) at Littlebourne, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 696 (Berkamystede, Feb.). Wihtred, king of Kent, to Mildrith, abbess; grant of privileges for Minster-in-Thanet. Latin.

A.D. 697 (April). Wihtred, king of Kent, to Abbess Æbba; grant of 40 hides (manentes) at Hæg. Latin.

A.D. 697 or 712 (July). Wihtred, king of Kent, to St Mary's Church, Lyminge; grant of 4 sulungs (aratra) at Pleghelmestun, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 699 (Cilling, 8 April). Wihtred, king of Kent, to the churches and monasteries of Kent; confirmation of privileges. Latin.

A.D. 700 or 715. Wihtred, king of Kent, to St Mary's Church, Lyminge; grant of 4 sulungs (aratra) at Pleghelmestun and pasture in Romney Marsh. Latin.

A.D. 699 x 716 (Bapchild, Kent). Wihtred, king of Kent, to the churches and monasteries of Kent; grant of privileges and immunity to the churches and monasteries of Kent, with specific prohibition of lay domination over St Peter's at Upmynster, Reculver, Minster-in-Thanet, Dover, Folkestone, Lyminge, Minster-in-Sheppey and Hoo. Confirmation, dated A.D. 716, at a synod at Cloveshoh. Latin.

A.D. 732 (Canterbury, 20 Feb.). Æthelberht II, king of Kent, to Dunn, priest and abbot, and the church of St Mary (Lyminge); grant of land by the river Limen and at Sandtun (Sampton, lost, in West Hythe), Kent. Latin with bounds.

A.D. 741 (Lyminge). Æthelberht II, king of Kent, to the church of St Mary, Lyminge; grant of fishing rights in the river Limen, land around the oratorium of St Martin (? at New Romney), and pasture at Biscopes wic (The Wicks, Broomhill, Kent). Latin.

(Canterbury) Æthelberht II, king of Kent, to the minster of SS Peter and Paul (St Augustine's) Canterbury; exchange whereby the minster cedes the half-use of a mill to the royal vill at Wye, Kent, in return for pasture rights in the Weald for its tenant at Chart, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 727 (14 October). Eadberht I, king of Kent, to Abbess Mildrith (of Minster-in-Thanet) and her familia; grant of a half-sulung (aratrum) of land bi Northanwde. Latin.

A.D. 738 (Canterbury, April). (a) Eadberht I, king of Kent, to Ealdwulf, bishop, and the see of St Andrew; grant of 10 sulungs (aratra) at Stoke in Hoo, Kent. (b) Bishop Ealdwulf presents the charter to King Æthelberht II and Archbishop Nothhelm for confirmation. Latin.

A.D. 762 or 763 (Canterbury, 25 July). Eadberht II, king of Kent, to St Peter's Minster (St Augustine's), Canterbury; grant of 6 sulungs (aratra) at Mongeham, Kent, with rights in woodland at Singledge, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 763 or 764. Eadberht II, king of Kent, to Sigeburga, abbess, and her familia at St Peter's Minster, Thanet; remission of toll due on two ships at Fordwich, and on a third at Fordwich and Sarre, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 762 for c. 748 x 760. Eardwulf, king of Kent, to the church of St Andrew, Rochester; grant of pasture rights at Holanspic, at Petteridge in Brenchley, and at Lindridge, Kent. Latin.