Ælfwaru
Encyclopedia
Ælfwaru was an Anglo-Saxon
noblewoman, who bequeathed her lands to churches such as Ely
, and Ramsey
. Chronicle
rs, writing in the 12th century, transcribed such bequests, from the original cyrograph
s. Ælfwaru's cyrograph has not survived. Ælfwaru's father, Æthelstan Mannessune
, had two sons: Eadnoth, and Godric; and two daughters: Ælfwaru, and Ælfwyn.
(d. 986), the other being Ælfwyn, abbess of Chatteris
. If this is the case, Ælfwaru's brothers were St Eadnoth the martyr (d. 1016), first abbot of Ramsey
, and Godric (d.1013).
recorded for, 27 February. Liber Benefactorum Ecclesiae Ramesiensis records the year, 1007 Thus 27 February 1007.
, that Ælfwaru granted to Ely Abbey
the lands of Bridgham
, Hingham
, Weeting
, Rattlesden
, Mundford
, Thetford
, and fisheries around those marshes. Ælfwaru also granted the lands of Over
and Barley
to Chatteris
nunnery, where her sister was abbess. The fisheries mentioned here are interesting. They link the Ælfwaru mentioned in Liber Eliensis, with the Ælfwaru, daughter of Æthelstan Mannessune
, whose cyrograph
is documented in Liber Benefactorum Ecclesiae Ramesiensis. If this is indeed the same Ælfwaru, then her father bequeathed lands to his children, including a fishery, which he shared out between his unnamed wife, his sons, and his two daughters.
The name Ælfwaru is made out of two parts; old English (OE) Ælf- and -waru. Ælf- means Elf- or magical being and -waru (singular; -wara plural) means guardian of (a particular place) by profession.
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
noblewoman, who bequeathed her lands to churches such as Ely
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
, and Ramsey
Ramsey Abbey
Ramsey Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey located in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, England, southeast of Peterborough and north of Huntingdon, UK.-History:...
. Chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
rs, writing in the 12th century, transcribed such bequests, from the original cyrograph
Anglo-Saxon Charters
Anglo-Saxon charters are documents from the early medieval period in Britain which typically make a grant of land or record a privilege. The earliest surviving charters were drawn up in the 670s; the oldest surviving charters granted land to the Church, but from the eighth century surviving...
s. Ælfwaru's cyrograph has not survived. Ælfwaru's father, Æthelstan Mannessune
Æthelstan Mannessune
Æthelstan Mannessune was a landowner and monastic patron in late 10th-century Anglo-Saxon England, coming from a family of secularised priests. Remembered by Ely Abbey as an enemy, he and his family endowed Ramsey Abbey and allegedly provided it with a piece of the True Cross...
, had two sons: Eadnoth, and Godric; and two daughters: Ælfwaru, and Ælfwyn.
Lineage
Her lineage is unknown. However, modern historians have constructed a plausible family tree. Ælfwaru is believed to be one of two daughters to Æthelstan MannessuneÆthelstan Mannessune
Æthelstan Mannessune was a landowner and monastic patron in late 10th-century Anglo-Saxon England, coming from a family of secularised priests. Remembered by Ely Abbey as an enemy, he and his family endowed Ramsey Abbey and allegedly provided it with a piece of the True Cross...
(d. 986), the other being Ælfwyn, abbess of Chatteris
Chatteris
Chatteris is a civil parish and one of four market towns in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire, England, situated in The Fens between Huntingdon, March and Ely...
. If this is the case, Ælfwaru's brothers were St Eadnoth the martyr (d. 1016), first abbot of Ramsey
Ramsey Abbey
Ramsey Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey located in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, England, southeast of Peterborough and north of Huntingdon, UK.-History:...
, and Godric (d.1013).
Death
Ælfwaru is believed to have died on, or at least her obituaryObituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
recorded for, 27 February. Liber Benefactorum Ecclesiae Ramesiensis records the year, 1007 Thus 27 February 1007.
Legacy
It is recorded within one chronicle, Liber EliensisLiber Eliensis
The Liber Eliensis is a 12th-century English chronicle and history, written in Latin. Composed in three books, it was written at Ely Abbey on the island of Ely in the fenlands of eastern Cambridgeshire. Ely Abbey became the cathedral of a newly formed bishopric in 1109...
, that Ælfwaru granted to Ely Abbey
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
the lands of Bridgham
Bridgham
Bridgham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 328 in 130 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland....
, Hingham
Hingham, Norfolk
Hingham is a market town and civil parish in the Forehoe district in the heart of rural Norfolk, in England. The civil parish covers an area of and had a population of 2,078 in 944 households as of the 2001 census. Grand architecture surrounds the market place and village green...
, Weeting
Weeting
Weeting is a village in Norfolk, England.Its church, St. Mary, stands close to Weeting Castle, and is one of 124 existing round-tower churches in Norfolk.During the 1920s and 1930s, Weeting housed a Ministry of Labour work camp...
, Rattlesden
Rattlesden
Rattlesden is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located around four miles west of Stowmarket, the parish also includes the hamlets of Hightown Green and Poystreet Green. Its large and ancient church, St. Nicholas, dates from the 13th century and...
, Mundford
Mundford
Mundford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated at the intersection of two major routes, the A134 Colchester to King's Lynn road and the A1065 Mildenhall to Fakenham road, about north west of Thetford...
, Thetford
Little Thetford
Little Thetford is a small village and civil parish south of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England, about by road from London. The village is built on a boulder clay island surrounded by flat fenland countryside, typical of settlements in this part of the East of England...
, and fisheries around those marshes. Ælfwaru also granted the lands of Over
Over, Cambridgeshire
Over is a large village near the River Great Ouse in the English county of Cambridgeshire, just east of the Prime Meridian.The parish covers an area of approximately...
and Barley
Barley, Hertfordshire
Barley is a village and civil parish in the district of North Hertfordshire, England. According to the 2001 census, it has a population of 659. The place-name refers to a lea or meadow and not to the grain-producing plant...
to Chatteris
Chatteris
Chatteris is a civil parish and one of four market towns in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire, England, situated in The Fens between Huntingdon, March and Ely...
nunnery, where her sister was abbess. The fisheries mentioned here are interesting. They link the Ælfwaru mentioned in Liber Eliensis, with the Ælfwaru, daughter of Æthelstan Mannessune
Æthelstan Mannessune
Æthelstan Mannessune was a landowner and monastic patron in late 10th-century Anglo-Saxon England, coming from a family of secularised priests. Remembered by Ely Abbey as an enemy, he and his family endowed Ramsey Abbey and allegedly provided it with a piece of the True Cross...
, whose cyrograph
Anglo-Saxon Charters
Anglo-Saxon charters are documents from the early medieval period in Britain which typically make a grant of land or record a privilege. The earliest surviving charters were drawn up in the 670s; the oldest surviving charters granted land to the Church, but from the eighth century surviving...
is documented in Liber Benefactorum Ecclesiae Ramesiensis. If this is indeed the same Ælfwaru, then her father bequeathed lands to his children, including a fishery, which he shared out between his unnamed wife, his sons, and his two daughters.
The name Ælfwaru is made out of two parts; old English (OE) Ælf- and -waru. Ælf- means Elf- or magical being and -waru (singular; -wara plural) means guardian of (a particular place) by profession.