A.D. 676 (= 675, 6 Nov.). Osric, king, to Bertana, abbess; grant of 100 hides (manentes) at Bath, Somerset, for the foundation of a nunnery. Latin.
Archive: Bath
MS: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, 111, pp. 59-60 (s. xii2)
Printed: K 12; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), ii. 264 (no. 2); B 43 ex K; Earle, pp. 6-7; Hunt, Bath Carts., p. 6; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 12.
Comments: HS, p. 129, doubtful, the indiction is wrong and there are two bishops of the West Saxons; Finberg, ECW, no. 355, authentic basis; Finberg, ECWM, pp. 172-4, perhaps amplified from a shorter authentic charter; Harrison 1973/1, pp. 553-4, 556, authentic basis, discusses dating-clause; Brooks 1974, p. 225, cited with reference to Harrison's discussion of date; Sims-Williams 1975, especially pp. 1-6, sanction and witness-list at least derive for genuine earlier charter, other details (e.g. abbess's name) depend on early records; Harrison 1976, pp. 67-9, some very early features; Scharer 1982, p. 76 n. 32, spurious; Cunliffe 1984, pp. 347-8, on Bath; Wormald 1985, p. 25, broadly trustworthy; Edwards 1988, pp. 218-23, authentic basis but substantially interpolated and rewritten, may not originally have referred to a minster in Bath; Sims-Williams 1988, pp. 165-74, entire charter may belong to 675, literary proem may show Aldhelm's influence; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 56-7, 104, 111-13, 120, may have genuine basis.
A.D. 680. Oshere, king, to Frithuwald, monk of Bishop Winfrid (? for Wilfrid); grant of 30 hides (manentes) at Ripple, Worcs. Latin.
Archive: Worcester
MS: BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 20v-21r (s. xi1)
Printed: Hickes, Diss. Epist., p. 79, extract; Hearne, Heming, pp. 46-7; K 17; B 51.
Translated: Jones 1958, p. 53.
Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 692 n. 16, p. 698 n. 44, doubtful authenticity; Stenton 1918, p. 438 n. 29, spurious (= Stenton 1970, p. 53 n. 3); Finberg, ECWM, no. 196, authentic basis, indiction points to 678 or 693, text 'improved' by interpolation of extended immunity clause; Harrison 1973/1, pp. 552-3, cannot be regarded as authentic, but based on early source, possible that indiction miscopied; Harrison 1976, p. 67, use of incarnation date may be contemporary; Wormald 1985, p. 25, unreliable later copy, possibly genuine elements; Sims-Williams 1988, pp. 174-83, authentic basis, Winfrith perhaps error for Wilfrid; Hooke 1990, p. 20, on estate; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 104-5, perhaps drawn up by Wilfrid or an associate, p. 375, on topography of Ripple estate..
(A.D. 693.) Oshere, king of the Hwicce, to Cuthswith, abbess; grant of 15 hides (tributarii) at Penintanham (probably Inkberrow, Worcs.) and Dyllawidu (?), for the foundation of a minster. Latin.
Archive: Worcester
MSS: 1. Lost original
2. BL Harley 4660, 3v (s. xvii; ex 1)
Printed: Hickes, Inst. Gramm, pp. 169-70, ex MS 1, cf. pp. 168-9; K 36; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 585 (no. 5); B 85; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 36.
Comments: HS, pp. 232, 241, unquestioned; Turner 1916, p. xxxii, citing Stevenson, authentic; Stenton 1918, p. 436 n. 18, commands respect (= Stenton 1970, p. 51 n. 4); Davies 1972, p. 466, spurious elements; Finberg, ECW, p. 251, reading should be Penintanham, not Penitanham, identifies with Inkberrow; Finberg, ECWM, no. 382, authentic, and p. 239; Cox 1976, pp. 20, 35, on place-names; Sims-Williams 1976, pp. 8-13, agrees with Inkberrow identification; Gelling 1978/1, p. 212, disputes Inkberrow identification; Wormald 1985, p. 25, broadly trustworthy; Hooke 1990, p. 21, on estate; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 35 n. 99, pp. 191, 193-4, authentic; Cubitt 1995, pp. 40, 259, authentic; John of Worcester, p. 164 n., on two witnesses; Kelly, Selsey, p. xlix, on formulation.
A.D. 704 x 709. See S 1177. Æthelred and Æthelweard to Cuthswith; grant of land at Ingon, Warwicks.
A.D. 706. Æthelweard, subregulus, with the consent of Cenred, king of Mercia, to Ecgwine, bishop, for St Mary's Church, Cronuchomme (Evesham); grant of 12 hides (cassati) at Ombersley, Worcs., with later confirmations by Ceolred, Æthelbald and Offa, kings of Mercia. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Evesham
MSS: 1. BL Cotton Vesp. B. xxiv, 25v-26v (s. xii)
2. BL Harley 3763, 67rv (s. xii)
3. Bodleian, James 29, pp. 41-2 (s. xvii; incomplete)
Printed: K 56 and vol. iii. 375; HS, pp. 278-9; B 116; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 24; Pierquin, Conciles, pp. 196-7; Hooke 1990, pp. 36, 38, bounds only.
Translated: Jones 1958, p. 54.
Comments: HS, pp. 279-80, authentic; Maitland 1897, pp. 235-6, of fairly good repute, but nothing that comes from Evesham is beyond suspicion; Stevenson 1914, p. 702, a late and clumsy fabrication; PN Worcs., p. xxv n. 2, substantially genuine; Grundy, Worcs. 1928, pp. 21-3, on bounds; Levison 1946, p. 264, dubious or forged; Forsberg 1950, pp. 126-7, on bounds; John 1960, p. 76 n., may have some authentic basis, although bounds and year of grace are additions; John 1966, p. 24, confirmations of Mercian kings perhaps suspicious; Finberg, ECWM, no. 201, authentic basis, bounds not contemporary with charter; Finberg 1972, p. 403, treats as authentic; Sims-Williams 1976, p. 9 n. 2, dubious; Hooke 1985, p. 131, on fisheries, p. 155, on reservation of right to mast; Hooke 1990, pp. 36-40, on bounds; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 36 n. 101, spurious; Lapidge 1993, p. 309, on a witness; Cubitt 1995, p. 262, forgery drawing on some earlier material, witness-list may be from an 8th-century charter.
A.D. 757. Eanberht, Uhtred and Ealdred, under-kings of the Hwicce, to Milred, bishop, and St Peter's, Worcester; grant of 30 hides (cassati) at Tredington, Warwicks. (formerly Worcs.), previously held by Tyrdda, comes. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Worcester
MSS: 1. BL Cotton Nero E. i, pt 2, 183v (s. xi; incomplete)
2. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 16r-17v (s. xi1)
Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 36-40; K 102 and vol. iii. 378; B 183; Earle, pp. 305-7.
Comments: Turner 1916, p. xxxiv, citing Stevenson, dubious; Grundy, Worcs. 1928, pp. 78-80, on bounds; PN Warwicks.; John 1966, pp. 23-4; Finberg, ECWM, no. 214, authentic; Gelling 1978, pp. 178, 181-2, Tredington probably named from Tyrdda; Scharer 1982, pp. 213-14, spurious, although possibly based on authentic material; Hooke 1985, pp. 45-6, 93, 106-8, on estate, with map p. 107; Abels 1988, p. 24; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 152-3, 162, forgery; Hooke 1996, p. 114, with map.
A.D. 759 (February). Eanberht, Uhtred and Ealdred, brothers and under-kings of the Hwicce, with the permission of Offa, king of Mercia, to Headda, abbot; grant of 10 hides (cassati) at Andoversford, Gloucs. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Worcester
MSS: 1. BL Add. Ch. 19789 (s. viii med.; BM Facs., ii. 2; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 179; Making of England, p. 202 (no. 156); Pal. Soc., ser. i, 10)
2. BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 24v (s. xi1)
Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 52-3; K 105; B 187; Earle, pp. 45-6; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 48.
Comments: Bond 1878, p. 7, MS 1 contemporary; Sweet, OET, p. 430 (no. 10); Stevenson 1914, p. 695 n. 35, a 9th-century copy of a presumably genuine contemporary charter of the 8th century; Turner 1916, p. xxxiv, citing Stevenson, authentic; Stenton 1918, p. 444 n. 50, cited (= Stenton1970, p. 58 n. 2); Lowe 1935, pp. xiii-xiv, trustworthy; Parsons 1939, p. 14, genuine and contemporary; Finberg 1955/1, p. 7 and n. 3, on topography (= 1964, p. 22 and n.); PN Gloucs., i. 153, 168, 170-1; PN Worcs., p. xxiii n. 1, original; Ch.L.A., iii, no. 179, MS 1 contemporaneous, very probably original; Bruckner 1965, p. 40 and n. 156, on attestations; Ch.L.A., iv, p. xvii, on script; Stenton 1971, p. 287, cited; Finberg, ECWM, no. 26, authentic; Scharer 1982, pp. 214-16, authentic and contemporary; Brown 1986, p. 120, citing Budny, scribe identified as scribe 1 of BL Royal 1 E. VI; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 155-6, original; Making of England, p. 202 (no. 156); Keynes 1996/1, p. 160 n. 174, identification with scribe 1 of BL Royal 1 E. vi may be unsound; Kelly, Selsey, p. xlix, on formulation; cf. S 1413.
A.D. 756 for 777 x 779. Uhtred, ruler of the Hwicce, with the permission of Offa, king of Mercia, to Ceolmund, minister; grant of 8 hides (mansiones) at Kemerton, Worcs. Latin with bounds.
Archive: Worcester
MS: Somers Ch. 4 (lost)
Printed: Smith, Bede, p. 767 ex MS; K 148 ex Smith; B 232 ex Smith; Hooke 1990, p. 80, bounds only.
Comments: Wanley, Catalogus, p. 301 no. 4, on MS; Stevenson 1914, p. 702, spurious; Grundy, Worcs. 1927, pp. 161-2, on bounds (= Grundy, Gloucs., pp. 155-6); PN Gloucs., i. 4, ii. 60, 64; Finberg, ECWM, no. 224, authentic, the date 756 may be an error for 759 and refer to Uhtred's original grant, confirmed by Offa; Scharer 1982, p. 257, not genuine in present form; Hooke 1990, pp. 80-2, on bounds; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 238, p. 37, cited, pp. 238-9, on a witness.
A.D. 767. Uhtred, regulus of the Hwicce, with the permission of Offa, king of Mercia, to Æthelmund, his faithful minister, son of Ingeld, dux and præfectus; grant of 5 hides (tributarii) at Aston in Stoke Prior, Worcs. Latin.
Archive: Worcester
MSS: 1. Lost original
2. BL Cotton Vitell. C. ix, 129r (s. xvii; incomplete; ex 1)
3. BL Harley 4660, 4r (s. xvii; ex 1)
Printed: Hickes, Inst. Gramm., p. 170, ex MS 1, cf. pp. 168-9; Hearne, Heming, pp. 553-4, ex MS 1; K 117; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 586 (no. 9); B 202, ex MS 3 and K; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 54.
Comments: Stevenson 1914, p. 696 n. 37, a variant of S 59; Stenton 1955, p. 57 n. 1, an earlier version of S 59; John 1966, p. 24, cited with reference to Offa; Brooks 1971, p. 78, on reservation clause; Finberg, ECWM, no. 217, authentic; Finberg 1972, pp. 463-4, on reference to rights to profits of justice; Whitelock, EHD, p. 502; Scharer 1982, pp. 255-6, authentic; Wormald 1982, p. 123, cited; Wormald 1986, pp. 156-7, authentic, may be model for S 59; Abels 1988, p. 53; Hooke 1990, pp. 28-9, on estate; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 155 n. 61.
A.D. 770. Uhtred, regulus of the Hwicce, with the permission of Offa, king of Mercia, to Æthelmund, his faithful minister; grant, for three lives, of 5 hides (tributarii) at (Aston in Stoke Prior, Worcs.), with reversion to the church of Worcester. Latin with brief English bounds.
Archive: Worcester
MSS: 1. Worcester, D. & C., Additional MS in safe (s. viii2 or s. ix 1; OS Facs., ii. Worcester Charter; Ch.L.A., iv, no. 274; Birch 1880; Turner 1916, plates 31, 32; Brown 1996, p. 208, fig. 25)
2. BL Cotton Vitell. C. ix, 129r (s. xvii; incomplete; ex 1)
Printed: Hearne, Heming, p. 554, ex MS 2; Birch 1882/1, pp. 45-6; B 203, ex MS 1.
Translated: Whitelock, EHD, no. 74 (pp. 502-3).
Comments: Birch 1880; Sweet, OET, p. 431 (no. 13); Stevenson 1914, p. 692 n. 16, p. 696 and n. 37, 'unimpeachable'; Robinson 1919, p. 23, authentic; Stenton 1955, p. 57 n. 1, authentic; Bruckner 1965, pp. 24 28, 40; Ch.L.A , iv, no. 274, contemporaneous, probably original, p. xviii, on script; Brooks 1971, p. 78, on reservation clause; Stenton 1971, pp. 287, 292, cited; Finberg, ECWM, no. 218, authentic; Finberg 1972, p. 464, cited; Sawyer 1978, p. 102, cited; Whitelock, EHD, p. 502, undoubtedly genuine; Scharer 1982, p. 256; Wormald 1982, p. 123, cited; Brown 1986, p. 132, on script; Wormald 1986, pp. 156-7, may be forgery based on S 59; Abels 1988, p. 53; Hooke 1990, pp. 63-5, on bounds, with map p. 64; Sims-Williams 1990, p. 38, on beneficiary, pp. 154-5, may be a revised copy, not necessarily forged, of a lost charter of 770, itself an updated version of S 58; Wormald 1993, pp. 20-2, restates argument that S 59 is probably a forgery; Brown 1996, p. 165, on script, associates with S 114.
A.D. 770. Uhtred, regulus of the Hwicce, with the permision of Offa, king of Mercia, to St Mary's Minster, Worcester; grant of 10 hides (tributarii) at Stoke Prior, Worcs. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Worcester
MS: BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 145r-146r (s. xi2)
Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 322-4; K 118 and vol. iii. 379-80; B 204; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 55; Hooke 1990, pp. 65-6, bounds only.
Comments: Robinson 1919, p. 23, spurious; Grundy, Worcs. 1928, pp. 62-7, on bounds; Ker 1948, pp. 59, 67-8, one of thirteen charters 'as a group, untrustworthy'; Finberg, ECWM, p. 93, spurious, version of S 59 transformed into a direct grant to Worcester; PN Oxon., ii. 271; Scharer 1982, p. 256, spurious; Wormald 1986, p. 156 n. 31, spurious; Hooke 1990, pp. 65-9, on bounds.
A.D. 764 x 774. Uhtred, subregulus of the Hwicce, with the permission of Offa, king of Mercia, to St Mary's Church, Worcester; grant of 2 hides (mansiones) at Shipston-on-Stour, Warwicks. Latin.
Archive: Worcester.
MS: BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 146r-147r (s. xi2)
Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 324-6; K 128; B 205.
Comments: Robinson 1919, p. 23, spurious; Ker 1948, pp. 59, 67-8, one of thirteen charters 'as a group, untrustworthy'; Finberg, ECWM, no. 219, fabrication; Finberg 1972, p. 409, some doubtful features; Scharer 1982, pp. 256-7, spurious, dates 764 x 775.
A.D. 777 x 780. Ealdred, subregulus of the Hwicce, with the permission of Bishop Tilhere, to Æthelburh, his kinswoman; lease, for life, of the minster at Fladbury, Worcs., with reversion to the bishopric of Worcester. Latin.
Archive: Worcester
MS: Somers Ch. 2 (lost)
Printed: Smith, Bede, pp. 765-6, ex MS; K 146 ex Smith; B 238 ex Smith; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 73.
Comments: Wanley, Catalogus, p. 301, no. 2, on MS; Finberg, ECWM, no. 225, authentic, p. 178, Æthelburh was abbess of Withington; Whitelock, EHD, p. 494, Æthelburh was not Offa's daughter; Hooke 1990, p. 34, on estate; Sims-Williams 1990, pp. 37-8, 158, agrees with Whitelock, p. 132, on Fladbury, pp. 238-9, on a witness; cf. S 1255.
A.D. 757 x 774. Ealdred, with the consent of Uhtred, his brother, and of Offa, king of Mercia, to Beornheard, comes; grant of 3 hides (cassati) at Huntena tun. Latin.
Archive: Worcester
MS: BL Cotton Tib. A. xiii, 51v-52r (s. xi1)
Printed: Hearne, Heming, pp. 106-7; K 125; B 218; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 1, no. 62.
Comments: Ekwall, DEPN, possibly Huntington near Hereford (q.v.); Finberg, ECWM, no. 29, authentic, dates c. 770, suggests that Huntena tun lay in Gloucs., near Huntingford in Tortworth, perhaps at Charfield; Scharer 1982, p. 257, probably genuine; Abels 1988, pp. 215-16 n. 70; cf. S 148.
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