Historical Society Of Lancashire and Cheshire 1859
A copy is to be found in the Charter-book of the Abbey in the British Museum, but not in its proper place, Mr. Ormeroid, supposes it might be considered spurious .It is given by
" Eadgar, King of Mercia, for the redemption of his own soul and the souls of his predecessors Eadmund and
Athelstan," and grants " to the humble family who are assiduously serving God in honor of the most holy
Virgin Werburgh in Leiacestria, a certain portion of seventeen townships "
- or perhaps more correctly seventeen farms and
tenements or estates in the townships of Hodesnid and Ceosaula and Huntingdon and Hupton and Eston and Barue. They
are to possess all things pertaining to these lands, through all time, by hereditary right, and have free liberty
to do therewith whatever they like. The bounds of these properties are then referred to, but this constituting
a different document, is unluckily not forthcoming; he further declares the gift free from any claim either of
militia-muster, bridge-building or castle-building, and any one attempting to infringe this grant or the privileges
is consigned to the fiery depths of Tartarus unless he make satisfaction. It is dated 958, at the well-known place
called Wentric, and appears to have been followed by a series of signatures, of which, however, the King's own
name only appears - I Edgar, King of the Mercians and the rest of the nations.
In the Domesday Book, compiled before 1080, we have a list of the estates belonging to the Church of St. Werburgh,
commencing with thirteen houses in the city of Chester, one held by the Warden, the other twelve by the Canons,
free from all service.
| In Dudestan Hundred. Saltone. Cavelea, with a boat and net. Hunditone, with a boat and net. Bocstone. Pulford. |
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| In Wilaveston Hundred Wivevrene Crostone Wisedelea Sudtone Salhare Sotowiche Nestone Rabie |
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Besides these the Domesday record informs us that the Canons claimed land in Stanei, of which they had been unjustly deprived, also of a hide at Burwardeslei.
That the four last named places in Edgar's Charter belonged to the Church at the time of the conquest there can be no doubt. The two first are unknown, and have been probably blundered by the scribe; and. though easy enough to pick out of the other names some resembling them, it is not worth while to make the attempt. It is said that Leofric, Earl of Coventry and Chester, in 1057, made large gifts to St. Werburgh, and, any way, the estates had increased from the six of Edgar's, to twenty in 1086.
