"Among the charters reissued was one "concerning that land of ten hides, namely at Islington, which Coenwulf, the celebrated king of the Mercians, gave to his faithful comes, Beornnoth, to be free for himself and for his heirs in perpetuity after him".It would appear therefore that Æthelfrith, or possibly his, wife, could trace his family roots to the old Mercian aristocracy.