Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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Paternal Family Tree: Stanhope
Before 1715 [his father] Michael Stanhope (age 33) and [his mother] Penelope Lovell (age 21) were married.
On 8th April 1715 Arthur Charles Stanhope was born to [his father] Michael Stanhope (age 34) and [his mother] Penelope Lovell (age 22).
In 1738 [his father] Michael Stanhope (age 57) died.
On 1st May 1740 [his mother] Penelope Lovell (age 47) died.
Before 18th March 1748 Arthur Charles Stanhope (age 32) and Mary Thornhagh were married.
On 25th August 1750 Arthur Charles Stanhope (age 35) and Margaret Headlam (age 21) were married.
On 10th November 1755 [his son] Philip Stanhope 5th Earl Chesterfield was born to Arthur Charles Stanhope (age 40) and [his wife] Margaret Headlam (age 26). He married (1) 20th August 1777 Anne Thistlethwayte Countess Chesterfield and had issue (2) 2nd May 1799 Henrietta Thynne, daughter of Thomas Thynne 1st Marquess of Bath and Elizabeth Bentinck Marchioness Bath, and had issue.
On or before 18th March 1758 [his wife] Mary Thornhagh died. She was buried on 18th March 1758 at St Peter's Church, Shelford [Map].
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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On 3rd January 1764 [his wife] Margaret Headlam (age 35) died.
In 1767 Arthur Charles Stanhope (age 51) and Frances Board (age 20) were married. The difference in their ages was 31 years.
On 9th March 1770 Arthur Charles Stanhope (age 54) died.
In 1st March 1782 Reverend Thomas Bigsby (age 26) and [his former wife] Frances Board (age 35) were married.
After 1800. St Peter's Church, Shelford [Map]. Memorial grave slab to Arthur Charles Stanhope, his first two wives [his former wife] Mary Thornhagh and [his former wife] Margaret Headlam, and his brothers [his brother] Colonel Thomas Stanhope, [his brother] Lovell Stanhope and [his brother] Ferdinand Stanhope.
In 1811 [his former wife] Frances Board (age 64) died.
Kings Wessex: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 19 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 25 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 20 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 11 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 17 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks
Kings France: Great x 21 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Stanhope 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Stanhope 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Port
Great x 2 Grandfather: Philip Stanhope 1st Earl Chesterfield 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Alington
Great x 3 Grandmother: Cordelia Alington
Great x 1 Grandfather: Arthur Stanhope 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Hastings 4th Earl Huntingdon 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Francis Hastings 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothy Port Countess Huntingdon
Great x 2 Grandmother: Catherine Hastings Countess Chesterfield 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Harrington 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Sarah Harrington
Great x 4 Grandmother: Lucy Sidney 
GrandFather: Charles Stanhope 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Father: Michael Stanhope 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Arthur Charles Stanhope 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Mother: Penelope Lovell 