Editing Witan (section)

== Attendance and locations ==
According to historian [[Bryce Lyon]], the witan "was an [[wiktionary:amoebic|amoebic]] sort of organization with no definite composition or function".{{Sfn|Lyon|1980|p=45}} It does appear, however, that an indispensable requirement was the presence of leading secular and ecclesiastical [[magnate]]s. Kings issued [[Anglo-Saxon charters|royal charters]] at meetings of the witan, and the witness lists to these charters also served as attendance lists.{{Sfn|Roach|2013|pp=27 & 33}} About 2,000 charters and 40 law codes attest to the workings of around 300 recorded witan meetings.{{sfn|Liebermann|1913|pp=2 & 14}} Typically, scribes listed witnesses in hierarchical order, with the king listed first, followed by:{{Sfn|Roach|2013|p=28}} 
* the queen 
* [[ætheling]]s (princes)
* [[bishop]]s
* [[abbot]]s 
* [[ealdormen]] (later [[earl]]s)
* [[thegn]]s

When English kings claimed overlordship over their Welsh neighbors, the [[List of rulers in Wales|Welsh kings]] might also be in attendance.{{Sfn|Loyn|1984|p=102}}

Anglo-Saxon England lacked a fixed capital, and the royal court was [[Itinerant court|itinerant]]. The witan convened at various locations, including royal palaces, towns, and hunting lodges. Between 900 and 1066, over 50 locations were recorded. [[Anglo-Saxon London|London]] and [[Winchester]] were popular meeting places, and other locations included: Abingdon, Amesbury, Andover, Aylesford, Cookham, Dorchester, Faversham, King's Enham, Southampton, Wantage, Oxford, Kirtlington, and Woodstock. In the [[West Country]], meetings were held at [[Gloucester]], Axminster, Bath, Calne, Cheddar, Chippenham, Cirencester, Edington, Malmesbury, Winchcombe, and Exeter. While meetings in the [[Northern England|North]] were rare, the witan did convene at Nottingham in 934 and at Lincoln in 1045. The witan could meet at any time, but it often gathered during Christmas, Lent, and Easter when many nobles were present at court.{{Sfn|Loyn|1984|pp=102–104}}{{Sfn|Lyon|1980|p=46}}