Situated south of the Thames, Cookham was traditionally part of Wessex, but being near a Roman crossing point the abbey was captured in 733 by Æthelbald of Mercia.
At the synod of Clofesho, which took place somewhere in Mercia in 798, the archbishop Æthelhard produced the deeds, and obtained the agreement of all, that the monastery rightly belonged to Canterbury.
Æthelhard then immediately gave the monastery to Cynethryth in return for various pieces of land that she owned in Kent, able to support 160 households.
[2] In August 2021, archaeologists from the University of Reading announced the discovery of a monastery dating to the reign of Queen Cynethryth in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church.
Finds included food remains, pottery vessels used for cooking and eating, a fine bronze bracelet and a dress pin.