n, would assign the foundation of a cell or chapel to Theoc, or in
Latin form Theocus, in or about 655. In support of this theory Camden
and others assert that it was called in Anglo-Saxon times Theocsburg
or Theotisbyrg. Others would derive the name from the Greek
"Theotokos," as the Church is dedicated to St. Mary, and others again
refer us back to a very early name, Etocisceu--Latinised as Etocessa.
In Domesday Book the town is called Teodechesberie, and throughout the
Chronicles of the Abbey is called Theokusburia.

The Chronicles of the Abbey tell us that the first monastery at
Tewkesbury was built by two Saxon nobles, Oddo and Doddo, in or about
the year 715, a time when Mercia was flourishing under Ethelred, and
later, under Kenred and Ethelbald. It was dedicated to the Virgin
Mary, and endowed with the manor of Stanway and other lands for the
support of the Benedictine monks who, under a Prior, were there
installed. Oddo and Doddo died soon afterwards, and were buried in the
abbey church of Pershore.

Much has been written about these mythical founders, and confusion in
the minds of the chroniclers, and in those of subsequent writers too,
has been caused by the similarity between the names of Oddo and Doddo,
and Odda and Dodda. It is stated in the old Tewkesbury Chronicle that
Oddo and Doddo were brothers, who in 715 founded a small cell at
Tewkesbury, and that Doddo built a church at Deerhurst to show his
love for a brother who had died some time before. They seem to have
been two noble dukes, members of an illustrious family and renowned
for their great virtue. Oddo is said to have become a monk, and after
his death to have been buried at Pershore Abbey.

As Mr. Butterworth points out in his book on Deerhurst, this seems to
be a travesty of what actually happened. There were in the eleventh
century two brothers, Odda and AElfric, with probably a third brother,
Dodda, who were related to Edward the Confessor, and were, besides,
his friends and followers. Charters are extant bearing their
signatures and names, and covering the period 1015-1051. It is this
Odda who caused to be built the "aula regia" at Deerhurst in memory of
his brother AElfric, with a stone[1] bearing an inscription of which a
copy is now in the Saxon Chapel at Deerhurst. This Odda, with his
brother, was buried at Pershore. Odda's existence at this time is
further confirmed by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (edited by Ingram),
which states that O