S 1504

A.D. 946 x 947. Will of Ealdorman Æthelwold, including bequests of 12 hides at Wylye, Wilts., to the bishop and episcopal community at Winchester; land at Ogbourne in Wilts., Æscesdune (cf. Ashdown) in Berks., Cheam in Surrey and Washington in Sussex, to his brother Eadric; at Broadwater in Sussex and South Newton in Wilts., to his brother Athelstan; at Carcel to his brother's son, Ælfsige; and at Cleran (Kingsclere, Hants.) to the son of his brother Ælfstan. English.

Archive: Winchester, Old Minster

MSS: BL Add. 15350, 87rv (s. xii)

Printed: K 1173; Thorpe, pp. 499-500, with translation; B 819; Earle, pp. 360-1; Harmer, SEHD, no. 20 (p. 33), with translation, pp. 63-4; Wyatt 1919, pp. 117-18; Barker 1949, pp. 58-9, with translation.

Comments: Harmer, SEHD, pp. 116-19; Darlington 1955, p. 86; Ekwall 1959, p. 88, suggests Carcel is Silchester, Hants.; Finberg, ECW, no. 65 (pp. 42-3, 88), authentic, land at Wylye was probably Stockton; Hart 1970/1, p. 34 (no. 153), authentic; Brooks 1978, pp. 87-91, on heriot; Gelling, ECTV, no. 51, authentic; Dumville 1992, p. 44, on testator; Hart 1992, p. 573; Keynes 1992, p. 63 n. 45, on form of address; Abrams 1996, pp. 48-9, on Æscesdune; Keynes 1996, p. 59 n. 39, on commemoration of testator.

Her geswutelad þæt Eadred cing geuþe þæt land æt Wilig þa twelf hida to scrudfultume þam hirede into Ealdan Mynstre. Leof, Æþelwold ealdarman cyþ his leofan cynehlaforde Eadred cynge hu ic wille ymbe þa landare þe ic æt mine hlaforde geearnode. Ærest Gode 7 þære halgan stowe æt þam bisceopstole æt Wintanceastre, þam bisceope 7 þam hiwum, þæt land æt Wilig þa twelf hida to scrudfultume, þæt hi me on heora gebeddredenne hæbben, swa swa ic him to gelyfe. 7 þam cinge minne hæregeatwa: feower sweord 7 feower spæra 7 feower scyldas 7 feower beagas, twegen on hundtwelftigum mancosun 7 twegen on hundeahtatigum, 7 feorwer hors 7 twa sylfrene fata. 7 minum breðer Eadrice þæt land æt Oceburnan 7 æt Æscesdune 7 æt Cegham 7 æt Wessingatune. 7 Æþelstane minæ breðer þet land æt Bradanwætere 7 þet æt Niwantune. 7 Ælfsige mine broðorsuna þet land æt Carcel. 7 Ælfstanes suna mines broþor þæt land æt Cleran. 7 eall þæt yrfe þæ ic hæbbe on lænelandum, þonne wylle ic þæt þæt sie gedeled for mine sawle swa swa ic nu þam freondum sæde þæ ic to spræc.


Here it is stated that King Eadred gave the estate of twelve hides at Wiley to the community at Old Minster for the provision of clothing. Sire, I, Earl Aethelwold, declare to my dear and royal lord King Eadred, what are my wishes with regard to the estates which I have acquired from my lord. In the first place [I give] to God and to the holy foundation - the bishop and the community - at the episcopal see of Winchester the twelve hides of land at Wiley for the provision of clothing, so that they may remember me in their prayers, as I believe that they will. And to the king my heriot: four swords, four spears, four shields, four bracelets, two worth one hundred and twenty mancuses, and two worth eighty mancuses, four horses and two silver cups. And to my brother Eadric the estates at Ogbourn, Ashdown, Cheam, and Washington. And to my brother Aethelstan the estates at Broadwater and Newton. And to Aelfsige, my brother's son, the estate at Carcel. And to the son of my brother Aelfstan the estate at Clere. And I desire that a distribution of all the property which I hold on lease be made for the good of my soul, according to the directions which I have just given to the friends to whom I have been speaking.