waltham

Five cartularies from what was probably the most important Augustinian house in England.

Waltham Abbey is generally considered to have been the most important Augustinian house in England. Five cartularies have survived and there are original documents in six different manuscript collections. They concern the canons, churches and land in nine counties and the City of London. Over 350 local place and field names appear and there is much material relating to the development of surnames and evidence of flourishing use of the English language.