Talk:Æthelnoth (archbishop of Canterbury)

Godwin's uncle
See article on Ancestry of the Godwins for the status of Frank Barlow's theory that Godwin was the grandson of Æthelnoth's father Æthelmær the Stout. The article should not therefore give the impression that this is an accepted view. The reference should therefore be deleted as tenuous, or at least appropriately caveated. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Timothy Hugh Smith (talk • contribs) 16:29, 28 May 2013 (UTC)


 * Stenton died before Barlow published his book on the Godwin family - so it's not fair to contrast his work with Barlows - the fact that Stenton doesn't mention the theory doesn't disprove it, Stenton was writing before Barlow. It IS appropriately caveated - it says it's Barlow's view. The fact that Æthelnoth was the son of Aethelmaer isn't in doubt. It's just the Godwin connection. I've clarified that the "he was an uncle" refers to h. We cannot say based on Stenton that the theory has no acceptance - he died before Barlow argued it. Barlow's opinion is notable enough to mention - he's a seriously important medievalist of the period. Ealdgyth - Talk 16:41, 28 May 2013 (UTC)


 * I am still not entirely comfortable. The theory was first proposed a century ago by Alfred Anscombe, and since then Frank Barlow has been the only significant historian to entertain it. I do not think just saying that it is Barlow's view accurately represents the extent to which he has put himself out on a limb, and could mislead the reader into thinking it uncontroversial. I am unable to add citations casting doubt on the theory, but the evidence is highly problematical and there are significant objections, acknowledged by Barlow. This is dealt with in the article on the Ancestry of the Godwins. My only contribution to that article has been to mitigate some of the objections, as I think the theory is interesting enough to have a fair hearing, even if ultimately unpersuasive. Since the identification of Æthelnoth as Godwin's uncle is only consequential upon Barlow's identification of Æthelmær as his grandfather, I wonder whether it is necessary to raise the theory at all in this article. But I shall leave it to you.Timothy Hugh Smith