Wulfnoth Cild

Wulfnoth Cild was a South Saxon thegn known for his connection to the Godwin family, being the probable father of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and grandfather of King Harold II. In 1008, King Æthelred the Unready ordered the construction of a fleet to counter a Viking threat, and by 1009, 300 ships had gathered at Sandwich, Kent. Brihtric, brother of Eadric Streona, accused Wulfnoth of unknown charges, leading to Wulfnoth's flight with twenty ships and subsequent raids on the south coast.

Brihtric pursued Wulfnoth with eighty ships, but a storm drove his fleet ashore, where Wulfnoth burned them. This loss of a third of the fleet forced the remaining ships to retreat to London, allowing the Vikings to invade Kent without opposition. As a consequence, King Æthelred likely confiscated Wulfnoth's property. Wulfnoth's ancestry is debated, with some sources suggesting he was the son of Æthelmær, though this is disputed by historians due to chronological inconsistencies.

Wulfnoth Cild died around June 1014. His son Godwin succeeded him, becoming Earl of Wessex.