Geoffrey Atte Wode (1297 - abt. 1346)

Born 1297 in Woods Place, Gullesden (Coulsdon), Surrey, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 26 Aug 1346 at about age 49 in Crecy-On-Ponthie, France

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Name

Geoffrey is seem in source material as Geoffrey atte Wode. The "atte" is a prefix of Saxon origin which means "at the", "of" or "in". The term "Wode" is Saxon and middle English for "wood", as in "forest", not timber. Thus Geoffrey atte Wode would be Geoffrey at the Wood. However the use of the term "wood" as a name at the time, Middle English, was derogatory and implied a person not in control of themselves. Thus the name, for the period, is best as Peter Wode. Today variants would be seen as Atwood, Wood, Woods and Wode.

Biography

Geoffrey is the son of William Atte Wode and Juliana Unknown. He is thought, due to life events, to have been born c. 1297.

Geoffrey became a Sergeant at Arms to King Edward III.

Sir William and both of his sons (Geoffrey and Richard) accompanied the army on their invasion of France.

Based on subsequent land transactions in England, it appears possible that both Sir William and his son Geoffrey were killed in the French campaign in 1346, (possibly at the Battle of Crecy).

It was August 26, 1346 when Geoffrey passed away during battle in the French campaign of 1346. He was buried PLACE OF BURIAL, CEMETERY NAME.

Sources

• The Records of the Cranston family, available on ancestry.com although no source material has been verified.

• Wood genealogy and other family sketches : genealogical memoranda of a branch of the Wood family in England and America page 12