Ælfgifu's fame at Shaftesbury seems to have eclipsed that of its first abbess, King Alfred's daughter Æthelgifu, so much so perhaps that William of Malmesbury wrote contradictory reports on the abbey's early history.
Ælfgifus berømmelse ved Shaftesbury synes at have formørket den første abbedisse, King Alfreds datter Æthelgifus, omdømme så meget, måske, at William of Malmesbury skrev modstridende rapporter om klostrets tidlige historie.