This is an exceptionally rare early 11th-century charter. The Godwine Charter is a single-sheet Anglo-Saxon charter written in Old English, on parchment, in the form of a chirograph. The hand of this charter can be accepted as contemporary with the date of the document: many Anglo-Saxon charters are later forgeries.
The charter is a grant from Godwine to Leofwine the Red of a ‘denn’ in the Weald, probably Southernden in Boughton Malherbe, West Kent. On the reverse of the document is written a description in the hand of one of Christ Church’s monk archivists, datable to the mid-12th century. The charter was removed from the cathedral collection in the 17th century, by Sir Edward Dering. It remained in the hands of the Dering family, until its sale in 1989.
Anglo-Saxon charters in the vernacular are of very great importance for their evidence for the development of the English language. They provide invaluable information about place-names. In addition, they bear witness to the development of literacy, the use of the written record, and the development of administration.
Support was also received from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, the Coral Samuel Charitable Trust and private donations.