Stoppingas
Encyclopedia
The Stoppingas was a tribe or clan of Anglo-Saxon England, based around Wootton Wawen
and the valley of the River Alne
in modern-day Warwickshire
. The name of the tribe may have come from the personal name Stoppa, who could have been the tribe's founder or leader, or earliest common ancestor.
The Stoppingas formed part of the Saxon kingdom of the Hwicce
, which was later conquered and absorbed by the kingdom of Mercia
.
In the mid eighth century Æthelbald of Mercia gave a grant of land in the region of the Stoppingas to Æthelric, the son of King Oshere
of the Hwicce, for the purpose of establishing a Minster in the territory. Such an institution was subsequently built at Wootton Wawen
, and the later parochia of this minster probably represents the extent territory of the Stoppingas.
Wootton Wawen
Wootton Wawen is a small village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. The village is located on the A3400, from Birmingham, miles south of Henley-in-Arden and miles north of Stratford-upon-Avon. The soil is a strong clay and some arable crops are grown,...
and the valley of the River Alne
River Alne
The River Alne is a tributary of the Warwickshire Avon and has its headwaters to the north of Wootton Wawen. The River Alne flows generally southwards before joining with the River Arrow at Alcester, which itself joins the River Avon near Salford Priors....
in modern-day Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. The name of the tribe may have come from the personal name Stoppa, who could have been the tribe's founder or leader, or earliest common ancestor.
The Stoppingas formed part of the Saxon kingdom of the Hwicce
Hwicce
The Hwicce were one of the peoples of Anglo-Saxon England. The exact boundaries of their kingdom are uncertain, though it is likely that they coincided with those of the old Diocese of Worcester, founded in 679–80, the early bishops of which bore the title Episcopus Hwicciorum...
, which was later conquered and absorbed by the kingdom of Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
.
In the mid eighth century Æthelbald of Mercia gave a grant of land in the region of the Stoppingas to Æthelric, the son of King Oshere
Oshere
Oshere, King of Hwicce, possibly jointly with his presumed brother Osric, and with Æthelmod, Æthelheard, Æthelweard, Æthelberht, and Æthelric.He appears to have issued a charter in 680 ....
of the Hwicce, for the purpose of establishing a Minster in the territory. Such an institution was subsequently built at Wootton Wawen
Wootton Wawen
Wootton Wawen is a small village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. The village is located on the A3400, from Birmingham, miles south of Henley-in-Arden and miles north of Stratford-upon-Avon. The soil is a strong clay and some arable crops are grown,...
, and the later parochia of this minster probably represents the extent territory of the Stoppingas.