Ælfric Modercope facts for kids

Ælfric Modercope was an important person from East Anglia in England. He lived around the 11th century. His name, Ælfric, is Old English. But his nickname, Modercope, comes from Old Norse, which is an old language from Scandinavia. This shows how much the English and Danish cultures were connected back then.

Ælfric was sometimes called Alfric de Modercope today. He was also known as Ælfric Wihtgarsson. This means "son of Wihtgar," which was a common way to name people at the time. He was an important noble who had both English and Norse roots.

Who Was Ælfric Modercope?

Ælfric Modercope was a powerful and wealthy man. He was known as a comes famoses, which means a "famous companion" or "official." This shows he was well-known and respected. He was the son of a man named Wihtgar. Ælfric also had a son, and he was named Wihtgar too!

Ælfric's Wealth and Power

Ælfric was one of the richest nobles in East Anglia during his time. We know this because of the lands his son, Wihtgar, owned. These lands were listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. The Domesday Book was a huge survey of England ordered by King William the Conqueror. It recorded who owned what land and how much it was worth.

Ælfric's wealth and good reputation came from his strong connections to the royal family. He worked closely with Emma of Normandy. She was a very important queen. Emma was married to King Cnut and, before that, to Æthelred the Unready.

Ælfric's Role as a Steward

Ælfric was Queen Emma's dapifer. This means he was her chief manager or steward. He was in charge of a large area of land in west Suffolk for the queen. This area was called the "eight-and-a-half hundreds." Managing such a big area showed how much the queen trusted him.

It also seems Ælfric had family members who worked in the queen's household. This is known because someone left him a gift in their will, calling him a "kinsman" (a relative). This will was sent directly to the queen.

Ælfric's Legacy

Ælfric's own will is kept in the archives at Bury St Edmunds. In his will, he left some of his lands to religious places. These included churches or monasteries in Ely and Bury St Edmunds. He also left land in a small town called Loddon, which is in South Norfolk.

Because of this, Ælfric is known as the first person to write down the name of Loddon. He called it 'Lodne' in his document. That's why you can see his image on the town's sign today!