n founding her noble church at Wolverhampton, Wulfruna endowed it with
thirteen estates, including lands in Willenhall, Wednesfield, Pelsall,
Essington, Hilton, Walsall, Featherstone, Hatherton, Kinvaston, Bilston,
and Arley. Willenhall being only three miles away from Wolverhampton,
and being also for a long time ecclesiastically incorporated with it, its
history at many points cannot be detached from that of the mother parish.

The wording of the charter by which the gift was made is quaintly
interesting. It sets forth that: "In the year 996, from the Passion of
our said Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ," Sigeric, Archbishop of
Canterbury, "with the Lord's flock of servants unceasingly serving God,"
have granted a privilege "to the noble matron and religious woman
Wulfruna," in "order that she may attain a seat in heaven," and that "for
her mass may be said unceasingly for ever" in the "ancient monastery of
Hamtun."

The Charter (inter alia) grants "ten hides of land for the body of my
husband," and another "ten hides of land" for the offences of her
"Kinsman Wulfgeal" lest he should hear in the judgment the "dreaded"
sentence, "Go away from me," &c. A third "ten hides" of land are granted
on account of "my sole daughter Elfthryth," who "has migrated from the
world to the life-giving airs."

Mr. Duignan, who has made a close study of the Charter, says "the limits
of the parishes and of the townships included in the grant are now
precisely what they were a thousand years ago."

The boundaries of the lands conferred by the noble benefactress are set
forth with much precision, as in the noting of brooks and fords, of parks
and woods, of fields and lanes and lands; and in very few cases has Mr.
Duignan failed to recognise the old names and identify them with the
modern appellations of the places meant, among the latter being
Willenhall, Wednesfield, Pelsall, Hilton, Ogley Hay, Hatherton, Cannock,
Moseley Hole, Twyford, Walsall, &c.

The original Charter has not been heard of since 1646, when it was
supposed to be copied by Sir William Dugdale into his monumental work,
the "Monasticon," assisted by Roger Dodsworth, a joint editor with him.
If it is still in existence Mr. Duignan assumes it is in the possession
of the Dean and Chapter of the Royal Chapel of Windsor, with which the
Deanery of Wolverhampton was united--as will be seen later. The formal
parts of the deed are in Latin, and the descriptions of the properti