Location: Freckenham / Suffolk

Factoid List

View Factoid Type Source Ref. Primary Person Short Description
Transaction S349      Alfred 8, king of the Saxons, to Burgric 1, bishop of Rochester; grant of land at Freckenham, Suffolk, and at Isleham, Cambs.
RecordedNames Anon.LiberEliensis  II.11a Leofsige 32
Event Anon.LiberEliensis  II.11a / LÆ 14   Ælfwald 64 the Fat, and his wife [Anonymous 10047], met Abbot Beorhtnoth 19 at Horningsea and agreed to sell him 3 hides at Chippenham. It was agreed that the abbot would give them 300 solidi and agreed to complete at Chippenham 8 days later when his wife would go there to receive 15 pounds and hand over to the abbot the 3 hides, for it was she who had the greater right to that land, through marriage to another husband [Anonymous 10048]. On the appointed day she brought with her witnesses [see below]. Two men, Brunstan 4 of Soham and Glor 1, stood up and protested on behalf of Ulf 16, and prohibited the woman from selling, and the abbot from buying, 75 acres of land. They also prohibited the sale of 7 acres of land to 2 villagers. It was also claimed that the woman did not have 3 hides to sell. Having taken council, the abbot gave her half the money, retaining the other half until she could give him 3 hides in tact and without claim. If she were not able to do this, she would be awarded a sum of money corresponding to the value of the land. The next day the land was measured by supporters of both sides and it was found to amount to only 127 acres and another 24 acres; the land subject to claim was 82 acres. Ulf 16 ordered his men to cultivate his 75 acres. Ulf 16 owed the abbot 37 acres as a supplementary payment additional to 2 hides at Milton which he had exchanged with the abbot for 2 hides and 37 acres at Fordham. He also owed a debt to the abbot for 20 solidi which he had supplied to him and sent through Ælfric 126, son of Edwin 37. The abbot asked him to give up the 75 acres in exchange for the 37 acres and 20 solidi that he owed, on the condition that Ulf 16 deliver the land without challenge. If he were unable to do this and the woman were awarded title to the land, the abbot would buy the land from her, just as they had agreed. When Ælfwald 64 and his wife found out that they were going to lose the land because of Ulf 16’s claim, they withdrew from their arrangement with the abbot and went to their lord, Ælfwald 42, brother of Ealdorman Æthelwine 2, and told him that the abbot had deceived them, that Ulf 16 had claimed the land at his instigation, and that the abbot had agreed upon 15 pounds for the land. Ealdorman Æthelwine 2 and his brother Ælfwald 42, and Abbot Beorhtnoth 19, and all the seniors of East Anglia and Cambridge, went to Freckenham, and from there to Hegentune where 3 hundreds were assembled. The abbot produced the earlier witnesses who corroborated his version of events. Ealdorman Æthelwine 2 then asked the abbot, for love of him, to increase by a little the 7.5 pounds he had already given Ælfwald 64 the Fat’s wife. Beorhtnoth 19 gave her 30 solidi and sent it to her by Wine 14 of Ely, son of Osmund 17, who took it to Cambridge and gave it to her publicly, in front of her husband.
Event Bates225      A dispute between Bishop Gundulf 1 of Rochester and Picot 1, sheriff of Cambridge, concerning land belonging to Freckenham, Suffolk, in Isleham, Cambs., which a certain royal servant Olchete 1 had occupied on the sheriff’s say-so. The sheriff said the land was a royal estate, whereas the bishop affirmed that it should belong to his bishopric. King William 1 therefore ordered that the men of the shire should be assembled in order to prove to whom the land rightfully belonged, and they out of fear of the sheriff, stated that it was royal land. However, Bishop Odo 3 of Bayeux who had been present at the plea, did not believe them, and ordered that they should choose twelve from among themselves (six of whom are named in the report and below), who would confirm what the others had said on oath. This said they did, and the land remained with the king. In the same year, a certain monk named Grim 11, who had once been the reeve of Freckenham and who had had one of the men who had sworn the oath under his jurisdiction, came to Bishop Gundulf 1 and affirmed that they were all perjurers. Bishop Gundulf 1 then went to the bishop of Bayeux, who summoned the monk to him to hear the story himself. After which he summoned one of those who had sworn the oath, and he immediately fell to his knees and admitted his perjury. And finally, the bishop of Bayeux ordered the sheriff to send the others to meet him in London, as well as another twelve of the best men of the county, so that they could confirm what had been sworn in the presence of an assembly of many of the most important barons of England. Here both French and English judged that they were all perjured when one of their number admitted perjury. The bishop of Rochester therefore held his land justly as he ought. The first twelve, who wanted to demonstrate that they did not agree with what the second twelve had sworn, were then asked to prove this by the bishop of Bayeux by the ordeal of iron. But because they were not able to do as they promised, they and other men of the county gave 300 pounds to the king.
Office Bates225    Grim 11 held office of Reeve
Event Bates226      Notification by King William 1 to Bishop Herfast 1 of Elmham, Abbot Baldwin 8 of Bury St Edmunds, the sheriffs Picot 1 and Robert 36 Malet and all faithful men, that he has granted the manor of Freckenham, Suffolk, to Archbishop Lanfranc 1 as Harold 3 held it on the day that William crossed the sea, and as Thorbjorn 1 and Gauti 1 held it of Harold 3.
Possession Bates226    Harold 3 The land at Freckenham was held by Harold 3; Thorbjorn 1 and Gauti 1 held it from him.
Occupation Lanfranc, Ep. no. 44    Baldwin 5 Medical doctor of Lanfranc 1
Office EMC Coin  2008.0472 (N 750 (Bust Crowned, without mint)) Swerting 5 held office of Moneyer for Edgar 11
Office EMC Coin  2008.0472 (N 750 (Bust Crowned, without mint)) Edgar 11 held office of King
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2008.0472 (N 750 (Bust Crowned, without mint)) Swerting 5
Possession LDB  381 (Suffolk 20:1) Rochester, St Andrew's 1 Property recorded in Domesday Book: 8 acres in Freckenham, Suffolk (in 1086)
Possession LDB  381 (Suffolk 20:1) Gundulf 2 Property recorded in Domesday Book: 8 acres in Freckenham, Suffolk (in 1086)
Possession LDB  381 (Suffolk 20:1) Rochester, St Andrew's 1 Property recorded in Domesday Book: 10 carucates in Freckenham, Suffolk (in 1086)
Possession LDB  381 (Suffolk 20:1) Orthi 1 Property recorded in Domesday Book: 10 carucates in Freckenham, Suffolk (in 1066)
Possession LDB  381 (Suffolk 20:1) Gundulf 2 Property recorded in Domesday Book: 10 carucates in Freckenham, Suffolk (in 1086)
Office EMC Coin  2008.0473 (N 813 (Pacx) (Hild. D)) Godric 111 held office of Moneyer for Edward 15
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2008.0473 (N 813 (Pacx) (Hild. D)) Godric 111
Office EMC Coin  2008.0473 (N 813 (Pacx) (Hild. D)) Edward 15 held office of King
Office EMC Coin  2001.1282 (N 430 (Beonna EA, reformed)) Efe 1 held office of Moneyer for Beonna 7
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2001.1282 (N 430 (Beonna EA, reformed)) Efe 1
Office EMC Coin  2001.1282 (N 430 (Beonna EA, reformed)) Beonna 7 held office of King
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2001.1282 (N 430 (Beonna EA, reformed)) Beonna 7
Office EMC Coin  2004.0011 (N 802 (Harold I Jewel Cross)) Æthelman 3 held office of Moneyer for Harold 5
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2004.0011 (N 802 (Harold I Jewel Cross)) Æthelman 3
Office EMC Coin  2004.0011 (N 802 (Harold I Jewel Cross)) Harold 5 held office of King
Office EMC Coin  2008.0027 (N 479 (Æthelstan / Guthrum, Two-Line)) Abenel 1 held office of Moneyer for Guthrum 1
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2008.0027 (N 479 (Æthelstan / Guthrum, Two-Line)) Abenel 1
Office EMC Coin  2008.0027 (N 479 (Æthelstan / Guthrum, Two-Line)) Guthrum 1 held office of King
Office EMC Coin  2004.0049 (N 588 (Ecgberht, Rochester (Episcopal))) Ecgberht 10 held office of King
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2001.1283 (N 213 (Baldred; non-portrait)) Baldred 4
Office EMC Coin  2001.1283 (N 213 (Baldred; non-portrait)) Baldred 4 held office of King
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2001.1283 (N 213 (Baldred; non-portrait)) Wærheard 3
Office EMC Coin  2001.1283 (N 213 (Baldred; non-portrait)) Wærheard 3 held office of Moneyer for Baldred 4
Office EMC Coin  2001.1275 (N 816 (Radiate - Small Cross) (Hild. A)) Edward 15 held office of King
RecordedNames EMC Coin  2001.1275 (N 816 (Radiate - Small Cross) (Hild. A)) Wine 34
Office EMC Coin  2001.1275 (N 816 (Radiate - Small Cross) (Hild. A)) Wine 34 held office of Moneyer for Edward 15