Husmerae facts for kids
The Husmerae were a group of people, like a tribe or clan, who lived in early medieval England. They might have been an early part of the Hwicce subkingdom, which was a smaller kingdom within England. Old documents, called charters, also called them Wiogorna. These documents also said their land was a provincia, which was like an administrative area with its own borders. Sometimes, their land was even called a regio, meaning a region.
Who Were the Husmerae?
The Husmerae settled near the River Stour before the year 736. They likely got their name from a pool called Usmere. This pool was on the edge of a place called Wolverley. Today, the name Usmere is still found in Ismere House, located in Churchill, Worcestershire. Some historians believe the name Husmerae comes from old words meaning "water" and "mere" (which means a lake or pond).
The Ismere Diploma
The Husmerae are mainly known from a very old document called the Ismere Diploma. This important document dates back to the year 734. Other old papers, called charters, also mention the Husmerae and the same land up until 964.
The Ismere Diploma was a special document that allowed a coenubium to be built. A coenubium was a type of religious community, often a minster or monastery. This minster was probably built in Kidderminster, likely where the main church stands today.
Where Did They Come From?
It's possible the Husmerae originally came from the West Saxon area. They might have moved into the region after the West Saxons defeated the Britons in the Battle of Dyrham in 577.
However, the Ismere Diploma suggests that Husmerae was a very old name for the area. We are not entirely sure where the name came from, so their exact origins are still a bit of a mystery. The Husmerae land was described as a large territory south of the main lands of Mercia, which was a powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom.
One old record describes the Husmerae area as being next to the River Stour. This record details a special grant from King Æthelbald of Mercia. He gave permission to build a monastery in that location.
