Eadwig's Charter to Abingdon Abbey c.957 facts for kids

In a charter of c.957 AD, King Eadwig ( r.955-959 ) granted twenty hides of land to Abingdon Abbey.

aet Hengestesige , and aet Seofecanwyrthe , and aet Wihtham

Interpretation of place names :

• " Hengestesige " ; Hinksey near the City of Oxford.
• " Seofecanwyrthe " ; The deserted medieval village of Seacourt near the City of Oxford.
• " Wihtham " ; Wytham near the City of Oxford.

King Eadwig ( r. AD 955-959 )

The Long Gallery at Abingdon Abbey

Background

Abingdon Abbey

The abbey had previously been destroyed by Danes of Viking origin at the beginning of the reign of Alfred the Great (r.871-899). In about 954 King Eadred appointed Æthelwold as its abbot.

Danes in Oxford

It is known that there had been a population of Danes who had lived in the Oxford area prior to the St. Brice's Day massacre ( AD 1002 ). Many of those had become integrated with the native population and spoke a mix of Old English and Old Danish. Place name evidence suggests that some of the land granted in the charter had previously been occupied by Danes of Viking origin. The charter suggests anti Danish sentiment and a sense of purpose of retribution for the previous destruction of the abbey.

Anglicisation of Old Norse

Many Old Norse words became absorbed into the English language during the Viking Age.

The local dialect word ' seave ' is an anglicisation of Old Norse ' sef '  : ( " sedge or rush " ).

The local dialect word ' saeter ' is borrowed from Old Norse ' sætr '  : ( " Upland summer pasture, a shieling or farmstead " ).

Place name examples (seave)

Place name examples in the English Lake District :

• Seathwaite, Borrowdale , Cumbria.
• Seathwaite, Duddon Valley, Cumbria.
• Seavy Side, Mosedale, near Haweswater Reservoir, Cumbria.
• Candleseaves Bog, Skiddaw Forest.

Place name examples in England :

• Seamore Tarn, near High Cup Nick, Cumbria.

• Seavy Rigg, Swindale Beck near Brough, Cumbria.

• Candleseaves Sike near Rogan's Seat, Swaledale, North Yorkshire.

• Seavy Sike near Tan Hill, North Yorkshire.

Place name examples (saeter)

The local dialect word saeter is borrowed from Old Norse sætr.

Place name examples in the English Lake District :

• Seat Sandal : " Sandulfr’s sætr " or " Sandal’s summer pasture or shieling "
• Seatoller ( 'Seat..oller' ) : " Olafr’s sætr "
• Seatallan ( 'Seat..allan' ) : " Aleyn's sætr "

The name element ' seat ' is common in North Yorkshire ( for fell summits ), especially in the sheep-farming area's of the Yorkshire Dales, and especially in Swaledale :

• Hugh Seat, Mallerstang, on the border between Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
• Ravenseat Farm, Whitsun Dale at the head of Swaledale.

• Robert's Seat ( near Ravenseat Farm ).
• Alderson Seat ( near Ravenseat Farm ).
• Satron ( sætr..tûn ) (village, side, moor, tarn) near Gunnerside, Swaledale.
• Rogan's Seat, Northern Dales, Stainmore Gap to Swaledale
• Great Pinseat near Reeth, Northern Dales, Stainmore Gap to Swaledale
• Lovely Seat ( Lunasett ) Northern Dales, Swaledale to Wensleydale

Chronology

Oxford in the Viking age

Timeline for Oxford and Abingdon Abbey in the Viking Age, in the context of other events.

8th century

9th century

10th century

11th century