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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Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland is in Seaton Delavall, Northumberland.
Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map].
In 1560 Mary Carey (age 59) died at Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map].
On 22nd June 1723 Admiral George Delaval (age 56) died. He was buried at Church of our Lady Seaton Delaval [Map] on 4th July 1723. His nephew Francis Blake Delaval (age 30) inherited Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map] which had yet to be completed. By 1729 the house was completed according to Vanbrugh's original plan at an estimated cost of £10,000.
In 1745. Arthur Pond (age 40). View of the North Front of Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map].
In 1745. Arthur Pond (age 40). View of the South Front of Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map].
On 9th December 1752 Francis Blake Delaval (age 59) died after falling down steps at his home Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map].
In 1759 Frances Delaval was born to John Delaval 1st Baron Delaval (age 30) and Susanna Robinson Baroness Delaval (age 29) at Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map]. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.26%. She married 22nd August 1778 John Fenton-Cawthorne.
1775. William Bell (age 42). View of the South (Park) Front of Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map].
1775. William Bell (age 42). View of the North (Entrance) Front of Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland [Map].