Location: Wherwell / Hampshire

Factoid List

View Factoid Type Source Ref. Primary Person Short Description Transaction S904      King Æthelred 32 to Abbess Heanflæd 1 and Wherwell 1 Abbey; confirmation of 70 hides (mansae) in the vicinity of the abbey Transaction S904      Æthelred 32 to Abbess Heanflæd 1 and Wherwell 1 Abbey; grant of privileges and 60 hides (cassati) at Æthelingadene (East and West Dean, Sussex), previously belonging to Queen Ælfthryth 8 Office S904    Heanflæd 1 held office of Abbess (abbess of Wherwell) Transaction S1515      King Eadred 16 to Winchester, New Minster 1; bequest of land at Wherwell, Andover and Kingsclere, Hants. Event ASC (C-F) 1042-1087  D 1052   Eustace 1, who had married King Edward 15’s sister [Gode 2], landed at Dover. Then his men [Anonymi 10005] went foolishly looking for billets and killed a certain man of the town [Anonymous 10016], and another of the townsmen [Anonymous 10017] [killed] their comrades, so that 7 of his comrades [gefera] [Anonymi 10006] were struck down. And great damage was done on either side with horses and with weapons until the people assembled, and then Eustace 1’s men fled to the king at Gloucester, who granted them protection. Then Earl Godwine 51 was indignant that such things should happen in his earldom, and he began to gather his people from all over his earldom, and Earl Swein 3 his son did the same over all his, and Harold 3 his other son over all his. And they all assembled in Gloucestershire at Langtree, a great and innumerable force all ready to do battle against the king unless Eustace 1 were surrendered and his men handed over to them, as well as the Frenchmen [Anonymi 10007] who were in the castle. This was done a week before the feast of St Mary [8 September]. King Edward 15 was then residing at Gloucester. He sent for Earl Leofric 49, and to the north for Earl Siweard 11, and asked for their troops. And they came to him at first with a small force, but after they had understood how things were in the south, they sent north throughout all their earldoms and had a great army [fyrd] called out for the help of their lord [hlaford], and Ralph 1 [John of Worcester says: son of Gode 2, King Edward 15’s sister] did the same throughout his earldom; and they all came to Gloucester to the help of the king, though it was late. They were all so much in agreement with the king that they were willing to attack the army of Godwine 51 if the king had wished them to do so. Then some of them thought it would be a great piece of folly if they joined battle, for in the two hosts there was most of what was noblest in England, and they considered that they would be opening a way for our enemies to enter the country and to cause great ruin among ourselves. They advised the exchange of hostages, and they issued summonses for a meeting at London; the folk throughout all this northern province, in Siweard 11’s earldom and Leofric 49’s and elsewhere, were ordered to go there. And Earl Godwine 51 and his sons were to come there to defend themselves. Then they came to Southwark, and a great number of them from Wessex, but his force dwindled more and more as time passed. And all the thegns [Anonymi 10008] of Earl Harold 3 his son were transferred to the king’s allegiance, and Earl Swein 3 his other son was outlawed. Then it did not suit him to come to defend himself against the king and against the force that was with the king. Then Godwine 51 went away by night, and next morning the king held a meeting of his council and he and all the army declared him an outlaw, and all his sons with him. And he went south to Thorney and so did his wife [Gytha 1] and his sons Swein 3 and Tosti 2, with his wife [Judith 2] who was a kinswoman [mage] of Baldwin 4 of Bruges [Baldwines æt Brycge], and his son Gyrth 1. And Earl Harold 3 and Leofwine 69 went to Bristol to the ship which Earl Swein 3 had equipped and provisioned for himself. And the king sent Bishop Ealdred 37 from London with a force, and they were to intercept him before he got on board, but they could not – or would not. And he went out from the estuary of the Avon, and had such stiff weather that he escaped with difficulty, and he suffered great losses there. He continued his course to Ireland when sailing weather came. And Godwine 51 and those who were with him went from Thorney to Bruges, to Baldwin 4’s country, in one ship with as much treasure for each person as they could stow away. It would have seemed remarkable to everyone in England if anybody had told them that it could happen, because he had been exalted so high, even to the point of ruling the king and all England, and his sons were earls and the king’s favourites [dyrlingas], and his daughter [Eadgyth 3] was married to the king. She was brought to Wherwell and they entrusted her to the abbess [Anonymous 10018]. Then forthwith Earl William 1 came from overseas with a great force [werod] of Frenchmen, and the king received him and as many of his companions [gefera] as suited him, and let him go again. Event ASC (C-F) 1042-1087  D 1052   Once her father and brothers had been driven from England, Eadgyth 3 was taken to Wherwell and entrusted to the abbess [Anonymous 10018]. Office ASC (C-F) 1042-1087  D 1052 Anonymous 10018 held office of Abbess Event WilliamofMalmesbury.GestaPontificumAnglorum  ii.78.7   Ælfthryth 8 the king's wife built a monastery at Werwell in honour of the Holy Cross, in repentance for the foul murder of her stepson Edward 12, which she was aware of and responsible for. Possession GDB  44 (Hampshire 16:1) Wherwell 1 Property recorded in Domesday Book: 22 hides in Wherwell, Hampshire (in 1086) Possession GDB  44 (Hampshire 16:1) Wherwell 1 Property recorded in Domesday Book: 22 hides in Wherwell, Hampshire (in 1066)