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

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

Burgred, king of Mercia, and Æthelswith, queen, to Wulflaf; grant of 5 hides (manentes) at Upthrop, in return for 50 mancuses of gold. The estate is to descend in the male line. Latin with English bounds.

Ceolwulf (II), king of Mercia, to Wærferth, bishop of Worcester; grant to the diocese of exemption from the burden of feeding the king's horses and their servants, in return for liturgical services. The bishop grants to the king a four-life lease of 6 hides (manentes) at Daylesford, Gloucs., with reversion to Worcester, in return for 60 mancuses of gold. Latin.

Ceolwulf (II), king of Mercia, to St Mary's minster, Worcester; grant of 6 hides (cassati) at Overbury, Worcs., with villulae at Conderton and Pendock, Worcs. Latin with English bounds of Overbury.

A.D. 880 for 887. Æthelred, dux et patricius of Mercia, to the bishopric of Worcester; grant of 6 hides (mansiones) at Brightwell Baldwin and 8 at Watlington, Oxon., to pertain to the church at Readanoran (i.e. Pyrton, Oxon). Latin with English bounds and a list, in English, of six serfs formerly belonging to the royal vill at Bensington, Oxon.

(a) Æthelred, ealdorman of Mercia, with the consent of King Alfred and the whole Mercian witan, to Berkeley Abbey; grant of privileges in exchange for 12 hides at Stoke Bishop, Gloucs., and 30 gold mancuses. (b) Æthelred, ealdorman, to Cynulf, son of Ceoluht; lease, for three lives, of the land at Stoke Bishop, with reversion to the bishopric of Worcester. Latin and English with English bounds.

A.D. 884 (Hrisbyri, ? Princes Risborough, Bucks.). Æthelred, lord of the Mercians, to Æthelwulf; grant of 5 hides (manentes) at Himbleton, Worcs., with appurtenant salt-workings etc. Latin with English bounds.

A.D. 888 (Droitwich, Worcs.). Æthelred, procurator of Mercia, to Wulfgar, minister; grant of 15 hides (manentes) at Walden, Herts. Latin,

A.D. 901 (Shrewsbury). Æthelred and Æthelflæd, rulers of Mercia, to the community of the church of Much Wenlock; grant of 10 hides (cassatae) at Stanton Long and 3 hides (manentes) at Caughley in Barrow, Salop., in exchange for 3 hides (manentes) at Easthope and 5 at Patton, Salop. They also grant a gold chalice weighing 30 mancuses in honour of Abbess Mildburg. Latin.

A.D. 883 x 911. Æthelred, dux Merciorum, to Cuthulf, minister; renewal of the grant by King Burgred of 10 hides (manentes) at Marlcliff in Cleeve Prior, Worcs., the ancient landbook having been carried off by 'pagans' (Vikings); with a note that the beneficiary later granted the land to the church of Worcester. Latin with English bounds.

A.D. 884 x 901. Æthelred, ealdorman, and Æthelflæd, to the church of St Peter, Worcester; grant of rights at Worcester. English.

A.D. 800 for ? 914. Æthelflæd, lady of the Mercians, to Ealhhelm; grant of 2 hides (manentes) at Stantun (? Stanton by Newhall, Derbys.), in return for 60 swine and 300 solidi. Latin.

A.D. 878 for 915 (Weardburg, 16 Sept.). Æthelflæd, ruler of the Mercians, to Eadric, minister; grant of permission to acquire 10 hides (manentes) at Farnborough (Warwicks. or Berks.), bought from Wulflaf. The orginal landbook, granted by King Offa to Bynna, Wulflaf's great-great-grandfather (abavus), had been destroyed in a fire. Latin.

Edward, king of Mercia, to the church of St Mary, Cronuchamme (Evesham); grant of 5 hides (manentes) at Lench, Worcs. Latin.

Cenwalh, king of Wessex, to Beorhtwald, abbot; grant of 1 hide (cassatus) and two small islands, with a fishery, at Meare, Somerset. Latin.

Cenwalh, king, to the see of Sherborne; grant of exemption from secular dues. Latin.

Latin with English bounds.

A.D. 680 (? for 685). Cædwalla, king, to Wilfrid, bishop; grant of 70 hides (tributarii) at Pagham, Shripney, Charlton, Bognor, Bersted, North Bersted, Crimsham, North and South Mundham (and, in the shortened version, Slindon), all in Sussex, and to the community at St Andrew's church situated on the east of the harbour called Uedringmutha (Pagham Harbour), grant of 10 hides (tributarii) at Tangmere, Sussex. Latin with bounds.

A.D. 682 ? for 688 (Aug.). Cædwalla, king, to the church (of Malmesbury); grant of 132 hides (cassati) on either side of the wood named Kemele (? Kemble, Gloucs.). Latin.

A.D. 673 for ? 683 (3 Aug.). Cædwalla, king, to Wilfrid, bishop, in order to found a monastery at Selsey; grant of 55 hides (tributarii) at Selsey, Medmerry, Wittering, Itchenor, Birdham, Egesawde, Bessenheie, Brinfast and Sidlesham, with 6 hides (cassati) at Aldingbourne and Lidsey, 6 at Geinstidegate (? Westergate), 8 at (North) Mundham, 8 at [Amberley and] Houghton and 4 at Coldwaltham, all in Sussex. Latin with bounds.

c. A.D. 687 and 691 (Medeshamstede, i.e. Peterborough, Northants.). (a) Cædwalla, king of the (West) Saxons, to Ecgbald, abbot, and his familia; grant of 40 hides (manentes) at Hoo (ad Hebureahg insulam), Kent. (b) Swæfheard, king of Kent, to Ecgbald, abbot; grant of adjoining 20 hides at Hoo and woodland at Fercanhamstede. (c). Confirmation by Æthelred, king of Mercia. Latin.

A.D. 688 (19 Aug.). Cædwalla, king, to Aldhelm, abbot; grant of 140 hides (manentes) on both sides of the wood called Kemele (Kemble, Gloucs.), 30 on the east side of the wood of Braydon, Wilts., and 5 at the confluence of the rivers Avon and Wylye. Latin.

A.D. 688 (Besingahearh). Cædwalla, king of the (West) Saxons, to Cedde, Cisi and Criswa (? Crispa); grant, for the foundation of a minster, of 60 hides (cassati) at Farnham, Surrey, including 10 at Binton and 2 at Churt, Surrey, and land at Cusanweoh. Latin.

Baldred, king, to Hæmgils, abbot, and the church of Our Lady and St Patrick, Glastonbury; grant of 12 (or 6) hides (manentes) at Pennard, Somerset. Latin with English bounds.

Centwine, king of the (West) Saxons, to Hæmgils, abbot of Glastonbury; grant of 23 hides (mansiones) near Quantock Wood and 3 hides (cassati) at Crycbeorh (probably Creechbarrow Hill, near Taunton), Somerset. Latin with bounds.

A.D. 663 for ? 693 (20 July). Ine, king of the (West) Saxons, to Hæmgils, abbot; grant of 10 hides (cassati) at Brent, Somerset. Latin with bounds.

A.D. 687 (5 July). Ine, King of Wessex, to Hean, abbot; grant of 15 hides (cassati) at Bradfield, 15 at Bestlesforda (near Basildon), 25 at Streatley and 80 at Æaromundeslee, all in Berks. Latin.

A.D. 693 = ? 692 (30 Dec.). Ine, king of the Saxons, to Froda, abbot; grant of 40 hides (cassati) by the river Isle, and a wood called Stretmerch, Somerset. Latin.

Ine, king of the (West) Saxons, to Hean, abbot; restoration of land at Abingdon, Berks., for the construction of a minster, with an account of the early history of Abingdon Abbey, including mention of grants of land by the river Thames, at Bestlesford (near Basildon) and at Bradfield, Berks. Latin.

Ine, king, to the church of SS Peter and Paul, Winchester; restitution of 40 hides (mansae) at Alresford, Hants., previously granted by King Cenwalh. Latin with English bounds.

Ine, king of the (West) Saxons, to Aldhelm, abbot, for the monastery of Malmesbury; grant of 45 hides (cassati), consisting of 5 hides at Garsdon, 20 and 10 hides by Corsaburn (Gauze Brook, cf. Corston) and 10 hides at Rodbourne in Malmesbury, all in Wilts. Latin.