A Millennium in the Archives of the Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent Archive Service


Royal Confirmation By King Aethelred Of The Endowment Of Burton Abbey In The Will Of Wulfric Spot, A.D.1004


This document can be divided into three parts. The first part is the confirmation by the King, confirming the grant in Wulfric’s will of lands  in the counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Warwickshire.

The central part of the document comprises the extensive list of witnesses to the confirmation, including the king and his six sons, the two Archbishops, Aelfric of Canterbury and Wulfstan of York, 12 bishops, 12 abbots,  3 “dukes” (ealdormen) and 22 “ministers” (thegns).

The final part of the document is a recital of the will itself.

The document is written in two languages, Latin and Anglo-Saxon, and in either Caroline or Anglo-Saxon miniscule script. The listings of Wulfric’s estates are in Anglo Saxon, as is the will itself. The witnesses were Anglo-Saxon (distinctively in names such as Aelfheah, the first named bishop, the bishop of Winchester), but their titles are in Latin.

The document forms part of the archives of the Marquess of Anglesey, held at the Staffordshire Record Office.
SELECTIVE DETAIL

Named witnesses in Wulfric’s will

Aethelred, king                [Aethelred II “the Unready”, 978-1014]

Aethelstan, king’s son
Ecgbryht, king’s son
Eadmund, king’s son       [later King Edmund II, “Ironside”, 1016]
Eadred, king’s son
Eadwig, king’s son
Eadgar, king’s son

Aelfric, archbishop          [Canterbury, 995-1005]
Wulfstan, archbishop      [York, 1002-1023]

Aelfheah, bishop             [Winchester, 984-1006]
Aelfhun, bishop               [London, c1002-c1015]
Lyuuing, bishop              [Lyfing, Wells 999-1013]
Aethelric, bishop             [Sherborne, 1002-1011]
Aelfhelm, bishop             [Dorchester, 1002-c1008]
Ordbyrht, bishop            [Selsey, 989-c1008]
Godwine, bishop             [Lichfield, c1002-c1020]
Aelfgar, bishop               [Elmham, 1001-c1016]
Godwine, bishop             [Rochester, c994-c1013]
Sigeferth, bishop             [Lindsey, c996-c1004]

Aelfweard, abbot
Aelfsin, abbot
Wulfgar, abbot
Keanulf, abbot
Aelfsin, abbot
German, abbot
Godeman, abbot
Wulfric, abbot
Leofric, abbot
Byrhtwold, abbot
Eadred, abbot
Aelmaer, abbot

Aelfric, ealdorman (“dux”)
Aelfhelm
Leofwine

Aethelmer, king’s thegn (“minister”)
Ordulf
Wulfgeat
Wulfheah
Wulfstan
Styre
Morkare
Fraena
Aetheric
Aethelmaer
Aelfgar
Aethelwold
Ulfcytel
Eadric
Godric
Godwine
Aethelweard
Aelfgar
Leofwine
Byrhtare
Leofwine
Aelmar

 

Named Staffordshire places in Wulfric’s will

 

Acofre                  Okeover

Bedintun                Pillaton in Penkridge parish

Bromleage             Bromley in Abbots Bromley parish

Byrtune                 Burton upon Trent

Deorlafestune        Darlaston (more likely the one in Stone parish)

Eccleshale             Eccleshall (probably the Staffordshire one)

Gageleage              Gailey in Penkridge parish

Hilum                    Ilam

Lege                      Church Leigh in Leigh parish

Straettun                Stretton in Burton parish

Wineshylle             Winshill

Witestan                Whiston, probably the one in Penkridge parish