The earliest record we have yet found is the Will of Bishop Theodred in 955 1) Electronic Sawyer – S1526 Will of Bishop Theodred. https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/charter/1526.html. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019. which grants Waldringfield to his nephew Osgot.
“Osgot (my sisters son) I grant the estate at Mendham (except I wish that the minster and a hide of land at Mendham shall belong to the church) I grant to Osgot (Osgood) the estates at Syleham, Instead, Chickering, Ashfield & at Wortinham, and all the small estates which are attached to these. Half the men at Mendham to be freed there for the Bishops soul. I grant to Osgot the estate at Waldringfield & my messuage in Ipswich which I bought”.
Since he inherited other estates it may well be that he did little more than receive the rent. It could be that the reference is to Waldingfield (no R) near Sudbury which appears as Greater Waldingfield and Lesser Waldingfield and sometimes mis spelt as Waldringfield. An analysis of where these places are shows a stronger relationship between them and Waldringfield than with Waldingfield (no R). We think therefore that the Will refers to our village.
The Google map shows where these places are.
See also References in 680 and 955AD
References
There were two Osgots.
Note that no men were freed at Waldringfield.
Was the estate all of the village and how did it relate to what seem to be two estates or manors mentioned in Domesday just over a Century later?
Judging by what was left to him we can assume that Osgot did not live in the village, he just owned an estate here.
Agree with Bob but what were the men ‘freed’ from? Prison or just their souls or something else!
ie not serfs!