Wulfrun

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Wulfrun is an Anglo-Saxon woman's name which is recorded in these places:-

  • Year 943 entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says that Vikings seized her when they took the fort at Tamworth. [It was likeliest for ransom.]
  • Listed as a witness in an Anglo-Saxon charter dated 985, which is listed as no. 650 in Kemble's "Codex Diplomaticus Ævi Saxoni". In it King Ethelred II (Ethelred the Unready), granted to Wulfrun ten hides of land at Hēatūn, which means "high or principal farm or enclosure". It is believed that as a result Hēatūn was renamed Wulfrun's Hēatūn (see below)
  • It is recorded that in 994 Wulfrun gave ten hides of land to endow a church at a place called Heantune (dative case). This may be the same land as in the previous entry.
  • A charter to Eynsham Monastery dated 1005 says that Wulfrun bequeathed land at Ramsey, "being at her last breath".
  • The West Midlands placename Wolverhampton seems to have come from Anglo-Saxon Wulfrūnehēantūn = "Wulfrūn's high or principal enclosure or farm". Many buildings and firms in Wolverhampton are named after her.

It is thought probable that these references all refer to the same woman, Lady Wulfruna, spelt in Anglo-Saxon as Wulfrun. She was a Saxon noble and owned land. She set up a landed estate at Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England in 985.

She founded a convent in Tamworth, where it is believed she is buried.

She had two sons: Ælfhelm (Ealdorman of Northumbria), and Wulfrīc Spott, founder of Burton Abbey.

The relevant Anglo-Saxon Chronicle entries are (from the Worcester manuscript):-

  • 941: Her Norðhymbra alugon hira getreowaða 7 Anlaf of Yrlande him to cinge gecuron.
  • 943: Her Anlaf abræc Tamewurþe, 7 micel wæl gefeol on ægþra hand, 7 þa Denan sige ahton, 7 micele herehuþe mid him aweglæddon, þær wæs Wulfrun genumen on þære hergunge. Her Eadmund cyning ymbsæt Anlaf cyning 7 Wulfstan arcebiscop on Legraceastre, 7 he hy gewyldan meahte, nære þæt hi on niht ut ne ætburston of þære byrig, 7 æfter þæm begeat Anlaf Eadmundes cynges freondscipe, 7 se cyning Eadmund onfeng þa Anlafe cyninge æt fulwihte, 7 he him cynelice gyfode. 7 ðy ilcan geare ymbe tæla mycelne fyrst he onfeng Regnalde cyninge æt bisceopes handa.
  • 941: Here the Northumbrians belied their promises and chose Olaf from Ireland as king.
  • 943: Here Olaf broke down Tamworth and great slaughter fell on either side, and the Danes had the victory and led away great war-booty with them. There Wulfrun was taken in that raid. Here king Edmund besieged Olaf and archbishop Wulfstan in Leicester, and he might have controlled them, except that they broke out of the fort in the night, and after that Olaf had king Edmund's friendship, and king Edmund received king Olaf at baptism, and gave to him royally. And in the same year after a fairly long time he received Rægnald at a bishop's hands.

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