Archive: Winchester, Old Minster

A.D. 871 x 877. Ealhferth, bishop, and the community at Winchester, to Cuthred, dux, and Wulfthryth, his wife; lease, for three lives, of 8 hides at Easton, near Winchester, with reversion to the church at Winchester. English with bounds.

 

In nomine domini .INVOCATION Ealhferð Bisceop 7 ða higan on Wintaceastre . habbað gelæneð hiora leofan friond . viii . hida landes on Eastune . ðriora manna deg ðet is Cuðred dux 7 WulfriðeBOUNDS his wife 7 anan man þerto suil him liofost sio him to hæbbenne 7 to brucenne swa him sælest sie eghwælces þinges freoh butan brycgeweorce 7 ferde . 7 eahta ciricsceattan 7 mæsseprestes gereohta 7 saulsceattas . 7 hi bebiodað on ælmeahtiges naman . 7 on sanctes Petres ðes apostoles naman . 7 on ealra Godes halgona naman . ðæt ðæt land sie laborðe . 7 higan swa gewelde ofer hiora ðriora deg swa hid wæs ðy dege ðe hioe hit hiom sealdan. 7 Ðis is gedon be þara weotena gewitnesse ðe heora naman her beneoðan awritene standað . 7 mid Cristes rodes getacne gemearcode.

Ego Ælfred Rex.
Ego Ælferð epc.
Ego Ædelheah epc.
Ego Wulfhere Dux.
Ego Æðelstan Dux.
Ego Eadwulf Dux.
Ego Ordulf Dux.
Ego Elfstan Dux.
Ego Cuðred Dux.
Ego Tunberð abb.
Ego Ælfreð pb.
Ego Hunsige pb.
Ego Cynestan pb.
Ego Biornlaf pb.
Ego Henulf Diac.
Ego Ælfstan Diac.
Ego Aðeuulf Diac.
Ego Milred min.
Ego Beorhtnoð min.
Ego Æðelnoð min.
Ego Dudig min.
Ego Heremod min.
Ego Æðelferð min.
Ego Ælfhere min.
Ego Wigred min.

Ðes londes gemero æt Eastune . lið of ycenan in earna bæce æf swa 7lang bæces . utt on ðæt geat æft be þan andheafdan od þone midlestan beorg . æft swa on ædeswyrðe eastewearde æft utt on þa roda on heringesleah easteweardne . æft utt on þa furh on smalan dune eastewearde . æft utt on þa furh ðe Wulfred het . adrifan æft of dune on ða dene swa on ðone mylensteall æt swe of ðem mylenstealle andlang ycenan æft on earna bæce.BOUNDS

In nomine domini. Bishop Ealhferth and the community at Winchester have leased 8 hides of land at Easton for three lives to their dear friend Earl Cuthred and to Wulfthryth, his wife, and to one man of his own choice in addition, to hold and enjoy as may be best for him, free from every burden except the construction of bridges and military service and the payment of eightfold church dues and the priest's dues and burial fees. And they enjoin, in the name of the Almighty and of St Peter the Apostle and in the name of all the saints of God, that this estate shall be as completely subject to the lord and the community after the death of the three of them as it was on the day that they granted it to them. And this is done with the cognisance of the councillors whose names are recorded in writing below and marked with the symbol of the cross of Christ . . .

The boundary of the estate at Easton extends from the Itchen to the eagles' brook, and then along the brook out to the gate, then by the headlands to the midmost barrow, then to the east of ædeswyrðe, then out to the clearing to the east of the narrow hill, then out to the furrow which Wulfred caused to be made, then from the hill to the valley, then to the site of the mill, then from the site of the mill along the Itchen back to the eagles' brook.