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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Lichfield, Staffordshire is in Staffordshire.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. On or before 5th March 1039. This year happened the terrible wind; and Bishop Britmar died at Lichfield [Map].
On 9th April 1347 Edward "Black Prince" (age 16) attended a Tournament at Lichfield. John Lisle 2nd Baron Lisle (age 28), Hugh Courtenay 2nd or 10th Earl Devon (age 43) (or possibly his son also Hugh Courtenay (age 20) ) and Robert Ferrers 3rd Baron Ferrers of Chartley (age 38) took part in the Tournament.
In 1508 George Stanley (age 72) died at Lichfield, Staffordshire [Map]. He was buried at Lichfield, Staffordshire [Map].
On 23rd January 1625 Margaret Devereux (age 83) died at Lichfield, Staffordshire [Map].
On 11th April 1785 Penelope Boothby was born to Brooke Boothby 6th Baronet (age 40) in Lichfield, Staffordshire [Map]. She died aged five in 1791.
In 1812 Peter Hayward was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire [Map].
On 31st July 1925 John Henry Howard (age 97) died at Lichfield, Staffordshire [Map].
Bede. He had his episcopal see in the place called Litchfield [Map], in which he also died, and was buried, and where the see of the succeeding bishops of that province still continues. He had built himself a habitation not far from the church wherein he was wont to pray and read with seven or eight of the brethren, as often as he had any spare time from the labour and ministry of the word. When he had most gloriously governed the church in that province two years and a half, the Divine Providence so ordaining, there came round a season like that of which Ecclesiastes says, "That there is a time to cast stones, and a time to gather them;" for there happened a mortality sent from heaven, which, by means of the death of the flesh, translated the stones of the church from their earthly places to the heavenly building. And when, after many of the church of that most reverend prelate had been taken out of the flesh, his hour also drew near wherein he was to pass out of this world to our Lord, it happened one day that he was in the aforesaid dwelling with only one brother, called Owini, his other companion being upon some reasonable occasion returned to the church. Now Owini was a monk of great merit, having forsaken the world with the pure intention of obtaining the heavenly reward; worthy in all respects to have the secrets of our Lord revealed to him, and worthy to have credit given by his hearers to what he said, for he came with Queen Etheldrid from the province of the East Angles, and was her prime minister, and governor of her family. As the fervour of his faith increased, resolving to renounce the world, he did not go about it slothfully, but so fully forsook the things of this world, that, quitting all he had, clad in a plain garment, and carrying an axe and hatchet in his hand, he came to the monastery of that most reverend prelate, called Lestingau; denoting, that he did not go to the monastery to live idle, as some do, but to labour, which he also confirmed by practice; for as he was less capable of meditating on the Holy Scriptures, he the more earnestly applied himself to the labour of his hands. In short, he was received by the bishop into the house aforesaid, and there entertained with the brethren, and whilst they were engaged within in reading, he was without, doing such things as were necessary.
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Icknield Street 18c Wall to Derby. Leaving Letocetum, Staffordshire [Map] aka Wall the Icknield Way takes a new alignment through Lichfield [Map], Streethay [Map], past Alrewas, Staffordshire [Map], through Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire [Map], Toyota Island, Staffordshire [Map] crossing the River Derwent before reaching Derventio [Map] aka Derby.
On 23rd May 1617 Elias Ashmole was born in Breadmarket Street Lichfield, Staffordshire [Map].
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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Roger Whitley's Diary. 10th February 1690. Monday, we set out past 8; dined at the Harp; there Biddolph parted with us; severall frinds from Lichfeild meeting him there; he went with them to Lichfeild; we lay that night at the 4 Crosses.
St John the Baptist's Church, Shenstone is also in Churches in Staffordshire.
In 1727 Elizabeth Stanhope (age 24) died. She was buried at the St John the Baptist's Church, Shenstone [Map].
On 21st February 1758 Samuel Barbour aka Hill of Shenstone Park (age 67) died. He was buried at the St John the Baptist's Church, Shenstone [Map].
On or before 16th September 1635 William Skeffington 1st Baronet died. He was buried at St Michael on Greenhill Church, Lichfield on 16th September 1635. His son John (age 45) succeeded 2nd Baronet Skeffington of Fisherwick in Staffordshire.
On 22nd February 1876 James Thomas Law (age 86) died. He was buried in a Mausoleum originally constructed for his wife Henrietta Charlotte Grey at St Michael on Greenhill Church, Lichfield. it resembles a canopied medieval tomb. The structure was surmounted by a clock with two dials which were illuminated at night by gas. The clock is now missing and the mausoleum somewhat overgrown.
In April 1683 Theophilus Biddulph 1st Baronet (age 71) died at Greenwich, Kent [Map]. On 14th April 1683 he was buried at Stow Church Lichfield. His son Michael (age 29) succeeded 2nd Baronet Biddulph of Westcombe in Kent.
Icknield Street 18c Wall to Derby. Leaving Letocetum, Staffordshire [Map] aka Wall the Icknield Way takes a new alignment through Lichfield [Map], Streethay [Map], past Alrewas, Staffordshire [Map], through Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire [Map], Toyota Island, Staffordshire [Map] crossing the River Derwent before reaching Derventio [Map] aka Derby.