Godric (died c. 1066) was the Anglo Saxon sheriff of Berkshire and possibly Buckinghamshire in the 11th century prior to the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Con ...

. The High Sheriff of Berkshire's chief residences were at Wallingford and

Aldermaston Aldermaston is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. In the 2011 Census, the parish had a population of 1015. The village is in the Kennet Valley and bounds Hampshire to the south. It is approximately from Newbury, Basingsto ...

. As a sheriff, Godric had the powers of arrest, he could raise armies, collect taxes and levies, and he presided over courts, dealt with traitors and generally supervised on the King's behalf everything that went on in the area of the Kingdom under his jurisdiction. It was recorded that Godric was "a colourful old scoundrel". Godric had at least one daughter, who was taught gold embroidery by a maid called Aelfgyth in Oakley, Buckinghamshire before the

Henry de Ferrers Henry de Ferrers (died by 1100), magnate and administrator, was a Norman who after the 1066 Norman conquest was awarded extensive lands in England. Origins He was the eldest son of Vauquelin de Ferrers and in about 1040 inherited his father's ...

had acquired lands at

Stanford in the Vale Stanford in the Vale is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse about southeast of Faringdon and northwest of Wantage. It is part of the historic county of Berkshire, however since 1974, it has been administered as a part of Oxfo ...

, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire) belonging to Godric the Sheriff, probably between 1055 and 1067. Finally, there is a mention of "Godric the Sheriff, of Fyfield ( Berkshire, now Oxfordshire)" as being a member of King

Harold Godwinson Harold Godwinson ( – 14 October 1066), also called Harold II, was the last crowned Anglo-Saxon English king. Harold reigned from 6 January 1066 until his death at the Battle of Hastings, fighting the Norman invaders led by William the ...

's forces at the

Battle of Hastings The Battle of Hastings nrf, Batâle dé Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army of William, the Duke of Normandy, and an English army under the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson, beginning the Norman Conque ...

in 1066.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Godric the Sheriff 1060s deaths Year of birth missing Year of death uncertain High Sheriffs of Berkshire High Sheriffs of Buckinghamshire People from Wallingford, Oxfordshire People from Aldermaston People from Vale of White Horse (district)