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Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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Wales Illustrated North Wales is in Wales Illustrated.
Llanrwst Bridge [Map] And Church.
Llanrwst is a small town, pleasantly situated on the river Conway, in Denbighshire, and though but a small place, it monopolises the chief trade of the surrounding district. The bridge [Llanrwst Bridge, Clywd [Map]] is considered the principal object worthy of notice, having been built after a design by the celebrated Inigo Jones, who is said to have been a native of the place, and who also furnished the design for the chapel, adjoining the church. Though not magnificent, the bridge is certainly a handsome structure, and displays somewhat of the genius of its farfamed architect. It was built by an order from the privy council, in the 9th year of Charles the first; the expense, estimated at one thousand pounds, being conjointly defrayed by the counties it connects — Caernarvon and Denbigh. It consists of three arches, the central one the largest, measuring nearly sixty feet in the span; — it is asserted that this bridge is formed upon such nice principles, that when a person pushes against the large stone placed over the middle arch, the whole fabric may be felt to vibrate. The scenery, both above and below, is enchanting; gratifying the sight with the finest objects, grouped in endless variety. The hills and woods, which line both margins of the river, are enlivened by the busy display of small vessels on its surface, going to and from Triefrew, a village about two miles down, and the highest point to which the tide flows; or with still more diminutive coracles, fishing for salmon and smelts. Less extended than the vale of Clwyd, and wider than that of Llangollen, the vale of Llanrwst has often been admired, as exhibiting the most variegated assemblage of beauty; it has been the subject of eulogium of that competent judge, both of the sublime and beautiful, Mr. Burke, who pronounced it, "the most charming spot he had seen in Wales." This place was famous for the manufacture of Welsh harps; but in 1810, the harp makers had become extinct, no one carrying on that business, and the instrument becoming scarce, rose in price; those, by the best makers, fetching twenty-five guineas.
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The ancient mansion built by John Wynne ap Meredydd is an extensive pile of buildings, without much regularity, ranged in the quadrangular style, comprising an inner and outer court. Immediately beyond the house, the ground rises very rapidly, to the foot of the perpendicular cliffs, forming the west boundary of the valley, all which space is now occupied by a fine wood, in the highest luxuriance of growth that can be imagined, while the summit of the rocks is also adorned with all the variety of foliage. Half way up is an irregular plain, containing a few cottages, the remains of a magnificent terrace, and a handsome domestic chapel, built in the gothic style, and overshadowed by a large Spanish chesnut-tree. Climbing to the tops of the cliff which overlook this lovely scene, you are gratified with a view over the rich broad vale of Llanrwst, watered by the windings of the Conway, covered with meadows and corn fields, and enlivened by villages and seats peeping from among the sheltering woods, which clothe the higher and bleaker parts of the valley. Many beautiful and romantic cataracts may be seen in the vicinity; and whoever visits Wales, should not fail to see the admired vale of Llanrwst.
Great Gatehouse [Map] at Denbigh Castle.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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