Eadric the Steersman

Eadric the Steersman was a royal thegn and captain of St Benet's ship, who held under King Edward, estates at Blakeney and Bradiston in Norfolk . Eadric gave to St Benet of Holme five estates in the neighbourhood of North Walsham, including Honing. The abbot gave Eadric half the estate and Eadric made a gift of the other half to the abbey, doing service under Aelfwold's command. Eadric's support under Aelfwold, was invaluable to Harold as he set about protecting the South Coast by placing the fleet on the Isle of Wight. When King William came to power, Eadric and Aelfwold were exiled to Denmark.

St Benet's Abbey Norfolk

St. Benet's Holme was founded by King Canute. The abbey being built like a castle proved difficult for William the Conqueror to take and so he bribed a monk to open the gate promising to make him the new abbot if he should do so. Once inside, the Normans treated him as a traitor. They dressed him up in alb, cope and mitre and strung him up over the gate. Late at night terrible screams may be heard and a monk may be seen writhing in agony at the end of a beam above the ruined arch.