A woman named Godiva was recorded in the 12th century history (called "") of Ely Abbey. If that "Godiva" were the same person as [the legendary figure] 'Lady Godiva', then she would have been a widow when Leofric married her. Both Leofric and Godiva were generous benefactors to religious houses. In 1043, Leofric founded and endowed a Benedictine monastery at Coventry on the site of a nunnery destroyed by the Danes in 1016. Writing in the 13th century, Roger of Wendover credits Godiva as the persuasive force behind this act of generosity. In the 1050s, her name is coupled with that of her husband on a grant of land to the monastery of St. Mary, Worcester, and the endowment of the minster at Stow St Mary, Lincolnshire. She and her husband are commemorated as benefactors of other monasteries at Leominster, Chester, Much Wenlock, and Evesham.The Chronicle of John of Worcester ed. and trans. R. R. Darlington, P. McGurk and J. Bray (Clarendon Press: Oxford 1995), pp. 582–583 She gave Coventry a number of works in precious metal by the famous goldsmith Mannig and bequeathed a necklace valued at 100 marks of silver.Dodwell, C. R. (1982) Anglo-Saxon Art: A New Perspective, Manchester UP, (US edn. Cornell, 1985), pp. 25 & 66 Another necklace went to Evesham, to be hung around the figure of the Virgin Mary accompanying the life-size gold and silver rood she and her husband had donated, and St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London received a gold-fringed chasuble.Dodwell, 180 & 212 Both Godiva and her husband were among the most munificent of the several large Anglo-Saxon donors of the last decades before the Norman Conquest; the early Norman bishops made short work of their gifts, carrying them off to Normandy or melting them down for bullion.Dodwell, 220, 230 & passim Nevertheless, the memory of Godiva and Leofric survived during the Norman reign and in 1122 their names were commemorated in the mortuary roll of Saint Vitalis of Savigny.
a WoMan NameD godiva Was ReCoRded In the 12th centUry hIstorY (CaLlEd "") OF Ely ABBey. If thaT "godIva" wEre tHe Same person As [the legEndarY figURe] 'lady gOdiVa', then she Would haVe BEen a widow when lEofrIc mArrIed HEr. bOTh lEofRic and gOdIVA were GeneRouS beNefaCtOrS tO religious hoUSEs. IN 1043, leofRic fOuNded and eNdowed a benedIctInE MonasTery At coveNtrY on the siTE of a nunnery DesTroyed By thE DaNes in 1016. WRiting in the 13Th CenturY, RogEr of wENdOVER CredItS gOdiVa AS the pErSuasivE forCe BeHiNd thiS act oF geNeRosiTY. In tHE 1050s, Her naMe is couPled wiTh that oF her hUsband On a grant Of laND To THe mOnastery of st. Mary, woRcesTer, and thE endoWmEnT of the MINSter At Stow st maRy, lIncOLNShire. she ANd heR husBANd are ComMemOraTeD aS BEneFactoRs oF oTHer monAstErIeS at leOMinstEr, CHestEr, much WEnLOCk, and EvEsham.tHe cHroNiclE of johN of worcEstEr ed. And trAns. r. r. dArlIngtOn, P. McgUrk And J. bray (claRENdon preSS: Oxford 1995), pp. 582–583 she GaVe CovEnTRy a NUmber of works in pREcious MeTal by The FaMoUs golDSMIth maNniG ANd bequeatHEd A necklACE vaLUed aT 100 MaRks oF silVER.DoDWELL, C. r. (1982) aNglo-Saxon Art: a nEW persPEcTIve, mANChESteR Up, (uS edn. CorneLL, 1985), PP. 25 & 66 anOther neckLacE wEnt tO eVEsham, to Be hunG around the FigUrE Of THe vIrgin Mary accOMPanying tHe LIfe-siZe GOlD anD SilvER roOd ShE and HEr HuSbaNd had donateD, ANd St Paul's cathEDral In thE city of loNdon rEcEivEd A gold-fRingeD cHASuble.dodweLl, 180 & 212 both GodiVA anD her HusBANd were Among THE Most muniFicent of thE SeverAl Large AnglO-saxon donORs of tHe LaSt DecAdEs before THe nORMaN conqueST; ThE early norman bIshopS Made shoRt woRk of theIr GifTs, CARrying tHEm off tO NoRmAndY or melting thEM DOwN For bUlLIon.DoDwell, 220, 230 & paSsIm nEverThEleSS, The mEmoRY of GoDIVA aNd leofric sUrvIVed durinG thE NorMAn rEiGN and in 1122 TheIR nAmeS were coMmemorATEd iN the moRtUaRy roll OF sAiNt VItAliS of saviGNY.