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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Carlisle Cathedral is in Carlisle, Cumberland [Map], Cathedrals in England.
Choir of Carlisle Cathedral [Map].
On 14th December 1278 Bishop Ralph de Ireton was elected Bishop of Carlisle.
On 9th April 1280 Bishop Ralph de Ireton was consecrated Bishop of Carlisle by the Bishop of Tusculum [now Frescati].
On 29th February 1292 Bishop Ralph de Ireton died while attending a parliament at London, from a burst vein. He was buried at Carlisle Cathedral [Map]. His tomb was destroyed ten weeks after in a fire at the Cathedral.
On 21st April 1353 Bishop Gilbert Welton was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
Around 23rd April 1397 Bishop Thomas Merke was consecrated Bishop of Carlisle.
On 16th April 1430 Bishop Marmaduke Lumley was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
In 1452 Bishop William Percy [aged 23] was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
On 24th October 1462 Bishop John Kingscote was consecrated Bishop of Carlisle.
Before 11th February 1478 Bishop Richard Bell was elected Bishop of Carlisle.
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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On 11th February 1478 Bishop Richard Bell was elected Bishop of Carlisle.
On 26th April 1478 Bishop Richard Bell was consecrated Bishop of Carlisle.
On 4th September 1495 Bishop Richard Bell resigned as Bishop of Carlisle. Bishop William Senhouse was appointed Bishop of Carlisle, being consecrated the following year.
In 1557 Bishop Owen Oglethorpe [aged 50] was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
In 1621 Bishop Richard Milbourne was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
On 15th November 1660 Archbishop Richard Sterne [aged 64] was elected Bishop of Carlisle.
On 2nd December 1660 Archbishop Richard Sterne [aged 64] was consecrated Bishop of Carlisle.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 27th April 1664. Thence to my Lady's, and in my way met Mr. Sanchy, of Cambridge, whom I have not met a great while. He seems a simple fellow, and tells me their master, Dr. Rainbow [aged 56], is newly made Bishop of Carlisle.
Around 27th April 1664 Bishop Edward Rainbowe [aged 56] was elected Bishop of Carlisle.
In 1702 Bishop William Nicolson [aged 47] was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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John Evelyn's Diary. 22nd June 1702. I dined at the Archbishop's [aged 65] with the newly made Bishop of Carlisle, Dr. Nicolson, my worthy and learned correspondent.
In 1704 Bishop Francis Atterbury [aged 40] was appointed Dean of Carlisle.
In 1734 Bishop George Fleming 2nd Baronet [aged 67] was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
On 21st March 1762 Charles Lyttelton [aged 48] was consecrated Bishop of Carlisle aat Whitehall Chapel.
Around October 1827 Bishop Hugh Percy [aged 43] was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
On 24th November 1856 Dean Francis Close [aged 59] was appointed Dean of Carlisle.
In 1860 Bishop Samuel Waldegrave [aged 40] was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
In October 1869 Bishop Harvey Goodwin [aged 50] was elected Bishop of Carlisle.
On 1st October 1869 Bishop Samuel Waldegrave [aged 50] died at his residence Rose Castle, Dalston [Map], Cumberland. Monument in Carlisle Cathedral [Map] sculpted by John Adams Acton [aged 38].
Bishop Samuel Waldegrave: On 13th September 1819 he was born to William Waldegrave 8th Earl Waldegrave in Cardington, Bedfordshire. He a great x 4 grandson of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland. In 1860 he was appointed Bishop of Carlisle.
On 18th December 1882 Dean Francis Close [aged 85] died. Monument in Carlisle Cathedral [Map] sculpted by Henry Hugh Armstead [aged 54].
Dean Francis Close: On 11th July 1797 he was born in Frome, Somerset [Map]. On 24th November 1856 he was appointed Dean of Carlisle.
After 25th November 1891. Carlisle Cathedral [Map]. Monument to Bishop Harvey Goodwin [deceased] sculpted by William Hamo Thornycroft [aged 41].
Bishop Harvey Goodwin: On 9th October 1818 he was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk [Map]. In October 1869 Bishop Harvey Goodwin was elected Bishop of Carlisle. On 25th November 1891 he died in Bishopthorpe York whilst on a visit to William Maclagan, Archbishop of York.
Before 1463 Archdeacon George Neville was appointed Archdeacon Carlisle which post he held until 1465.