Early life Edgar was the younger son of Edmund and his first wife, Ælfgifu, and he was born in 943 or 944, the year his mother died. She was a benefactor of Shaftesbury Abbey, an establishment for nuns, and was buried and venerated as a saint there. Her mother Wynflæd, who died around 950, was a vowess (religious woman), who was also a benefactor of the nunnery. Edgar was brought up by Ælfwynn, the wife of Æthelstan Half-King, and in about 958 Edgar gave her a ten-hide () estate at Old Weston in Huntingdonshire in gratitude. Æthelstan was a strong supporter of the Benedictine reform movement, which became dominant during Edgar's reign, and the historian Robin Fleming comments that Edgar (prince eligible for the throne) was profoundly influenced by his upbringing: Thus, the was reared in the household of one of his father's closest allies and raised among Half-King's own brothers and sons, five of whom at one time or another were ealdormen. Since Half-King was an intimate of the reform circle, and St Dunstan in particular, Edgar came of age in an atmosphere dominated by the ideals of monastic reform. Some of Edgar's affection for monks and his determination to revive Benedictine monasticism must have been acquired in this household of his youth.
eArLY liFe edgar was The yoUnger son of edmuNd aNd his fiRsT wifE, æLfGifu, aND He wAS borN iN 943 OR 944, ThE year his mothEr DIeD. She was a BeNefacTOr of ShafTESBUry Abbey, an eStablishMENT for nUns, and was Buried aNd veneraTED aS a sAinT thERE. HeR motheR Wynflæd, who Died arounD 950, wAS a voWEsS (rELigiOus WomaN), who wAs AlSO a BeneFactOr of The nuNNEry. edgaR was bRougHt uP by ælFwynn, the wiFe of ÆtHelsTAn HAlf-King, and in abOUT 958 edgaR gAve heR a teN-hide () estate aT old wEston In hUNtinGdOnshire In gRATITUDE. æthELsTan was a stROng supporTER of The bENeDictIne reform movEmEnt, WhicH BEcAme dOMInAnt dUrIng edGaR'S reiGn, and the hIstorIAn robIn flemiNg comMenTs thaT EDGAR (priNcE elIgiBLe FoR the throNe) WAs prOfOundLy iNFLuENCed by his upBrIngiNg: thus, The WaS rearEd iN the hOuSehoLD of One Of hIs father's closest aLlIEs And raisEd amOnG hAlf-kiNG's Own bRothERs ANd sons, fiVe Of Whom at one tIme oR AnOtheR weRe EaldOrmen. SincE hAlF-king Was an IntimaTe oF the refoRm circLe, and St dunstAn in partICulAr, edGAR CaMe of Age in an atmospheRe doMinATed by the IdeaLs of monAstic reFoRm. somE of EdgAr'S AffeCtion for Monks anD his determiNatIOn tO ReViVe bEneDictine mOnaStIciSm MUsT haVE been AcqUIreD In this hoUsehold of HIs yoUTh.