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

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

A.D. 833 x 870. Ceolnoth, archbishop of Canterbury, to his familia at Canterbury; grant of 2 sulungs (aratra) at Langdon, Kent. Latin.

A.D. 840 x 852. Cuthwulf, bishop, and the congregation of the church of Hereford, to Ælfstan, dux; lease, for three lives, of 4 hides (manentes) by the river Frome, Herefords., with reversion to Bromyard minster, Herefords. Latin.

A.D. 844 (? for 843). (1) Ceolred, bishop (of Leicester), to Berhtwulf, king of Mercia; grant of 14 hides (manentes) at Pangbourne, Berks., in return for the freedom of certain minsters. (2) King Berhtwulf grants the land to Æthelwulf, dux. Latin.

A.D. 849 (Glen, Leics.). Alhhun, bishop, with his familia at Worcester, to King Berhtwulf; lease, for five lives, of 5 hides (manentes) at Wearset felda, 5 (cassati) at Cofton Hackett, 5 (manentes) at Rednal in King's Norton, 2 at Wast Hill and Hopwood in Alvechurch, Worcs., and 3 at Witlafesfeld, with reversion to the church of Worcester. Latin with English bounds of Cofton Hackett.

A.D. 855 (Worcester). Alhwine (Alhhun), bishop of Worcester, to Æthelwulf, dux, and Wulfthryth, his wife; lease, for their lives, of 11 hides (cassati) at Cutsdean, Gloucs., and at Sture (? Alderminster, Worcs.), with reversion to the church of Worcester. Latin.

A.D. 858 (Amesbury, Wilts.). (1) Swithhun, bishop of Winchester, to Æthelbald, king of Wessex; grant of 60 hides (cassati) at Farnham, Surrey. (2) King Æthelbald grants the reversion of the land, after his death, to the bishop and church of Winchester. Latin.

A.D. 871 x 877. Ealhferth, bishop, and the community at Winchester, to Cuthred, dux, and Wulfthryth, his wife; lease, for three lives, of 8 hides at Easton, near Winchester, with reversion to the church at Winchester. English with bounds.

Swithulf, bishop, and the community at Rochester, to Beorhtwulf; grant of a half sulung (aratrum) at Haddun (Haven Street in Frindsbury), with meadows at Beckley and Strood, Kent. Latin with English bounds. (2) A.D. 963 x 975. Endorsement by King Edgar granting the land to Leofric. English.

A.D. 877 (Winchester). Tunbeorht, bishop, to the refectory of his brethren (at Winchester); grant of 5 hides (manentes) at Nursling, Hants. Latin with English bounds.

Wærferth, bishop of Worcester, and the Worcester familia, to Eanwulf, minister; lease, for four lives, of 2 hides (mansae or mansiones) at Nuthurst, Warwicks., in return for 20 mancuses of gold, with reversion to the monastery of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwicks. Latin.

Wærferth, bishop of Worcester, to Werwulf, presbiter; lease, for two lives, of 5 hides (manentes) at Ablington on the river Coln, Gloucs., the holder to pay chuch-scot and soul-scot to (the minster at) Bibury, Gloucs. Latin.

A.D. 744 (10 July). Lulla, handmaid of Christ, to Glastonbury Abbey; grant of 10 hides (manentes) at Baltonsborough, Somerset, and at Scobbanwirht' with mention of land at Lottisham and Lydford, Somerset, placed at King Æthelbald's disposal. Latin with bounds.

A.D. 757 x 774. Ceolfrith, abbot, to the church of St Peter, Worcester, and the bishopric of Worcester; grant of 20 hides (manentes) at Henbury, Gloucs., and 14 (cassati) at Sture in the province of Ismere, Worcs. Latin.

A.D. 786 x 796. Beonna, abbot of Medeshamstede, to Cuthbert, princeps; lease of 10 hides (manentes) at Swineshead, Lincs., in return for 1000 shillings and annual hospitality (unius noctis pastum) valued at 30 sicli, with ultimate reversion to Medeshamstede. Latin.

? A.D. 781 x 800. Headda, priest and abbot, to his descendants in priestly orders, with reversion to the bishopric of Worcester; grant of land at Dowdeswell, Gloucs.; Tyreltune (? Whittington, Gloucs.); and at Onnandune (near Andoversford, Gloucs.). Latin.

A.D. 830 for 832 or after. Werhard, presbiter, to Christ Church, Canterbury; bequest of land comprising 104 hides at Harrow, Middx; 100 at Otford, 32 at Graveney, 44 at Burnan (? Bishopsbourne), 10 at Easole, 36 at Barham, Kent; and 1 iugum at Lambahamm by the river Lympne, 1 iugum at Northuuda, and 1 mansio at Canterbury [all of which had previously belonged to his kinsman, Archbishop Wulfred]; also 32 hides at Hayes, Middx, land at Megeldewrthe, 8 hides at Cuniland and 30 hides at Twickenham, Middx. [from his own patrimony]. Latin.

Bishop Werferth, with the permission of the familia in the church of Worcester, arranges for himself a lease, for three lives, of 5 hides (manentes) at Elmstone Hardwicke, Gloucs., formerly belonging to the minster at Bishop's Cleeve, with reversion to the church of Worcester. Latin.

Bishop Werferth, with the agreement of the familia at Worcester, arranges for himself the lease, for four lives, of 3 hides (manentes) at South Hethfeld and of land at Hreodhalh. Latin with English.

Decree of Archbishop Theodore respecting the division of the bishoprics. Latin.

A.D. 704 x 705. Letter of Waldhere, bishop of London, to Brihtwold, archbishop of Canterbury, concerning a dispute which had arisen between the king of the West Saxons and the rulers of the East Saxons. Latin.

A.D. 736 x 737. Decree of a synod under Archbishop Nothhelm concerning the succession of a monastery (at Withington, Gloucs.) built on 20 hides (cassati) by the river Tillath (Coln) given for the purpose by Æthelred, king of Mercia. Latin.

A.D. 789 (Chelsea, Middx). Settlement of a dispute between Heathored, bishop, and Wulfheard, son of Cussa, concerning land at Inkberrow and Bradley, Worcs. Latin.

Decree of a council of Bapchild, Kent, concerning the liberties of the Church. Latin.

A.D. 803 (Clofesho). Record of an agreement between Deneberht, bishop of Worcester, and Wulfheard, bishop of Hereford, concerning their claims to the minsters at Cheltenham and Beckford, Gloucs. Latin.

Decree of a council of Clofesho concerning the restoration of the metropolitan rights of the see of Canterbury and the abolition of the archbishopric of Lichfield. Latin.

Decree of a council of Clofesho concerning the lordship of minsters. Latin.

After A.D. 822 x 823. Memorandum concerning King Ceolwulf's request for land at Bromsgrove, Worcs., from Bishop Heahberht and his community, and a consequent attempt by Wulfheard to obtain possession of Inkberrow, Worcs. English.

A.D. 824 (Clofesho, 30 Oct.). Record of the settlement of a dispute between Heahberht, bishop, and the familia at Berkeley, Gloucs., concerning land at Westbury-on-Trym, Gloucs. Latin.

A.D. 824 (Clofesho). Record of the recovery by Archbishop Wulfred of land at Easole, Kent, granted to him by Ealdberht, comes, and Selethryth, his sister, but fraudulently acquired by Cwoenthryth, abbess of Minster-in-Thanet. Latin, endorsed with bounds, in English, of Godmersham (cf. CCC 13, S 1620) and Challock, Kent.

A.D. 825 (Clofesho). Record of a synodal dispute-settlement, concerning the recovery by Coenred, bishop of Selsey, of land at Denton, Sussex. Latin.