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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Constables of Castles is in Constable.
In April 1422 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock [aged 22] was appointed Constable Vernon.
In 1489 Thomas Darcy 1st Baron Darcy Templehurst [aged 22] was appointed Constable of Bamburgh Castle.
In 1440 William Bulkeley [aged 22] was appointed Constable of Beaumaris Castle.
In 1236 Stephen Segrave [aged 65] was appointed Constable of Beeston Castle.
In 1544 Maurice Berkeley [aged 38] was appointed Constable of Berkeley Castle.
On 1st April 1616 George Chaworth 1st Viscount Chaworth [aged 62] was appointed Constable of Bristol Castle.
In 1493 Thomas Fiennes 8th Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 21] was appointed Constable of Calais.
Anthony Browne was appointed Constable of Calais.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Constable of Canterbury Castle.
In 1463 William Peche [aged 42] was appointed Constable of Canterbury Castle.
On 16th February 1470 Roger Vaughan [aged 60] was appointed Constable of Cardigan Castle.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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In 1542 William Sharington [aged 47] was appointed Constable of Castle Rising.
In 1236 Stephen Segrave [aged 65] was appointed Constable of Chester Castle.
Before 1202 Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent [aged 31] was appointed Count Mortain Mortagne, and as Constable of Dover Castle, Constable of Windsor Castle, Constable of Chinon Castle.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Constable of Corfe Castle, Dorset.
On 24th September 1329 John Maltravers 1st Baron Maltravers [aged 39] was appointed Constable of Corfe Castle, Dorset.
Patent Rolls. 2nd March 1478. Grant for life to the king's counsellor John Audeley, lord Audeley [aged 52], of the office of steward of all lordships, manors and lands in the county of Dorset late of George, late duke of Clarence [deceased], and in the king's hands by his forfeiture, with 20 marks yearly from the issues of the lordship of Halisbere, co. Dorset; grant to him, during minority, of the office of steward of all lordships, manors and lands in the said county in the king's hands by reason of the minority of Edward [aged 3], son of the said George, with 10 marks yearly from the issues of the premises; and grant to him for life of the office of constable and the custody of the castle of Warden and the office of constable and the custody of the castle of Corffe, with the accustomed fees from the issues of the king's lordships there and all other profits. By p.s.
Roger Damory 1st Baron Damory was appointed Constable of Corfe Castle, Dorset.
In 1454 Roger Kynaston of Myddle and Hordley [aged 21] was appointed Constable of Denbigh Castle.
Richard Grey was appointed Constable of Devizes Castle.
After 12th November 1555 Jacques Wingfield [aged 36] was appointed Constable of Dublin Castle and Master of the Ordnance.
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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In 1553 John Lyttelton of Frankley [aged 33] was appointed Constable of Dudley Castle.
In 1664 Ralph Whitley was appointed Constable of Flint Castle.
In 1689 Thomas Whitley of Peel Hall [aged 38] was appointed joint Constable of Flint Castle for life.
In March 1750 Other Lewis Windsor 4th Earl Plymouth [aged 18] was appointed Constable of Flint Castle.
In 1775 Owen Brereton aka Salusbury-Brereton [aged 60] was appointed Constable of Flint Castle.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Constable of Gilgerran Castle.
In 1521 Francis Bryan [aged 31] was appointed Constable of Harlech Castle which office he held until his death in 1550.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Constable of Haverfordwest Castle.
John Davies of Broadlane was appointed Constable of Hawarden Castle.
In 1518 Francis Bryan [aged 28] was appointed Constable of Hertford Castle which office he held until 1534.
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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In 1554 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt [aged 46] was appointed Constable of Hertford Castle.
In 1485 George Stanley 9th Baron Strange Knockin 5th Baron Mohun Dunster [aged 25] was appointed Constable of Pontefract Castle and Constable of Knaresborough Castle.
In 1576 William Killigrew [aged 21] was appointed Constable of Launceston Castle.
In 1312 Bartholomew Badlesmere 1st Baron Badlesmere [aged 36] was appointed Constable of Leeds Castle.
On 1st March 1378 John Devereux 1st Baron Devereux [aged 41] was appointed Constable of Leeds Castle.
Before 11th November 1470 Ralph St Leger [aged 40] was appointed Constable of Leeds Castle.
In 1169 Richard de la Haie died. His daughter Nichola de la Haie [aged 19] inherited the office of hereditary Constable of Lincoln Castle.
In 1191 regent Bishop William Longchamp removed the offices of High Sheriff of Lincolnshire and Constable of Lincoln Castle from Nichola de la Haie [aged 41] and her husband Gerard Canville [aged 59].They refused to hand over the castle. While Camville stayed with Prince John at Nottingham, Nicola held out against a month-long siege. Having failed to take the castle, Longchamp reached a compromise with Camville and restored him to his two posts, but then had him excommunicated. When King Richard returned from crusade and captivity in 1194, he removed Camville from both posts.
In 1199 King John of England [aged 32] restored the offices of High Sheriff of Lincolnshire and Constable of Lincoln Castle to Nichola de la Haie [aged 49] and her husband Gerard Canville [aged 67].
In 1319 Thomas Grey [aged 39] was appointed Constable of Norham Castle.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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Patent Rolls. 21st July 1461. Westminster Palace [Map]. The like to John Howard [aged 36], king's knight, the office of the constableship and custody of Norwich Castle [Map] from Exeter lats, with the fees as in the times of Edward III and Richard II from the issues of the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk.
Thomas Burgh was appointed Constable of Norwich Castle.
In September 1266 Roger Leybourne [aged 51] was knighted and was appointed Constable of Nottingham Castle.
In 1343 John Darcy 1st Baron Darcy of Knayth [aged 63] was appointed Constable of Nottingham Castle.
On 2nd March 1456 Humphrey Bourchier [aged 25] was appointed Constable of Nottingham Castle and Warden of Sherwood Forest which offices had previously been held by his late father-in-law Ralph Cromwell 3rd Baron Cromwell who had died in January 1456.
On 11th March 1489 Thomas Lovell was appointed Constable of Nottingham Castle.
In October 1612 Francis Manners 6th Earl of Rutland [aged 34] was appointed Constable of Nottingham Castle.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Constable of Pembroke Castle.
On 7th December 1393 John Pelham [aged 38] was appointed Constable of Pevensey Castle for life.
In 1550 Robert Oxenbridge [aged 42] was appointed Constable of Pevensey Castle.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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Before June 1396 John Savile of Shelley and Golcar [aged 71] was appointed Constable of Pontefract Castle.
In 1399 Robert Waterton [aged 39] was appointed Constable of Pontefract Castle. In January 1400 he was given custody of King Richard II of England [aged 31] who died shortly thereafter.
In 1485 George Stanley 9th Baron Strange Knockin 5th Baron Mohun Dunster [aged 25] was appointed Constable of Pontefract Castle and Constable of Knaresborough Castle.
In 1376 Robert Assheton was appointed Constable of Portchester Castle which castle he re-inforced by commissioning the building of "Ashton's tower".
In 1477 William Cheney [aged 33] was appointed Constable of Queenborough Castle.
Letters of Horace Walpole. 7th August 1572. This morning we have been to Penshurst [Map] - but, oh! how fallen!341 The park seems to have never answered its character: at present it is forlorn; and instead of Sacharissa's342 cipher carved on the beeches, I should sooner have expected to have found the milkwoman's score. Over the gate is an inscription, purporting the manor to have been a boon from Edward VI to Sir William Sydney. The apartments are the grandest I have seen in any of these old palaces, but furnished in tawdry modern taste. There are loads of portraits; but most of them seem christened by chance, like children at a foundling hospital. There is a portrait of Languet343, the friend of Sir Philip Sydney [aged 17]; and divers of himself and all his great kindred; particularly his sister-in-law, with a vast lute, and Sacharissa, charmingly handsome, But there are really four very great curiosities, I believe as old portraits as any extant in England: they are, Fitzallen, Archbishop of Canterbury, Humphry Stafford, the first Duke of Buckingham; T. Wentworth, and John Foxle; all four with the dates of their commissions as constables of Queenborough Castle, from whence I suppose they were brought. The last is actually receiving his investiture from Edward the Third, and Wentworth is in the dress of Richard the Third's time. They are really not very ill done.344 There are six more, only heads; and we have found since we came home that Penshurst belonged for a time to that Duke of Buckingham. There are some good tombs in the church, and a very Vandal one. called Sir Stephen of Penchester. When we had seen Penshurst, we borrowed saddles, and, bestriding the horses of our postchaise, set out for Hever [Map]345, to visit a tomb of Sir Thomas Bullen, Earl of Wiltshire, partly with a view to talk of it in Anna Bullen's walk at Strawberry Hill. But the measure of our woes was not full, we could not find our way and were forced to return; and again lost ourselves in coming from Penshurst, having been directed to what they call a better road than the execrable one we had gone.
Note 341. Evelyn, who visited Penshurst exactly a century before Walpole, gives the Following brief notice of the place:-"July 9, 1652. We went to see Penshurst, the Earl of Leicester's, famous once for its gardens and excellent fruit, and for the noble conversation which Was wont to meet there, celebrated by that illustrious person Sir Philip Sidney, who there composed divers of his pieces. It stands in a park, is finely watered, and was now full of company, on the marriage of my old fellow-collegiate, Mr. Robert Smith, who marries Lady Dorothy Sidney, widow of the Earl of Sunderland."-E.
Note 342. Lady Dorothy Sidney, daughter of Philip, Earl of Leicester [Note. Mistake? She was sister of Philip Earl of Leicester]; of whom Waller was the unsuccessful suitor, and to whom he addressed those elegant effusions of poetical gallantry, in which she is celebrated under the name of Sacharissa. Walpole here alludes to the lines written at Penshurst-
"Go, boy, and carve this passion on the bark
Of yonder tree, which stands the sacred mark
Of noble Sydney's birth; when such benign,
Such more than mortal-making stars did shine,
That there they cannot but for ever prove
The monument and pledge of humble love;
His humble love, whose hope shall ne'er rise higher,
Than for a pardon that he dares admire."-E.
Note 343. Hubert Tanguet, who quitted the service of the Elector of Saxony on account of his religion, and attached himself to the Prince of Orange. He died in 1581.-E.
Note 344. In Harris's History of Kent, he gives from Philpot a list of the constables of Queenborough Castle, p. 376; the last but one of whom, Sir Edward Hobby, is said to have collected all their portraits, of which number most probably were these ten.
Note 345. Hever Castle was built in the reign of Edward III, by William de Hevre, and subsequently became the property of the Boleyn family. In this castle Henry VIII passed the time of his courtship to the unfortunate Anne Boleyn; whose father, Sir Thomas Boleyn, was Created Earl of wiltshire and Ormond, 1529 and 1538.-E.
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On 22nd July 1509 Richard Herbert [aged 67] was appointed Constable of Raglan Castle.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Constable of Rochester Castle.
In 1304 Henry Cobham 1st Baron Cobham [aged 44] was appointed Constable of Rochester Castle.
John Cobham was appointed Constable of Rochester Castle.
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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Before 5th June 1511 Edward Stanhope [aged 49] was appointed Constable of Sandal Castle.
Close Rolls Edward II 1307-1313. 24th January 1308 King Edward II of England [aged 23]. Westminster Palace [Map]. To John Sampson [aged 61], constable of the king's castle of Scardeburgh [Map]. Order to permit Henry Percy [aged 34] and his consort and their household to dwell in the houses within the said castle, provided that the castle be safely guarded.
In or before 1551 William Pickering [aged 33] was appointed Keeper of Keeper of Sheriff Hutton Park and Constable of Sheriff Hutton Castle.
In 1361 Richard Pembridge [aged 41] was appointed Constable of Southampton Castle.
by 1522 Edward Littleton [aged 17] was appointed Gentleman Usher. Around the same time he was appointed Constable of Stafford Castle.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Constable of Tenby Castle.
In 1324 Henry Cobham 1st Baron Cobham [aged 64] was appointed Constable of Tonbridge Castle.
On 28th March 1484 Marmaduke Constable [aged 27] was appointed Constable of Tutbury Castle.
In 1216 Richard Fitzroy [aged 26] was appointed Constable of Wallingford Castle.
In 1375 Aubrey de Vere 10th Earl of Oxford [aged 37] was appointed Constable of Wallingford Castle.
In 1434 William "Jackanapes" de la Pole 1st Duke of Suffolk [aged 37] was appointed Constable of Wallingford Castle.
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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Around 1465 John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk [aged 22] was appointed Constable of Wallingford Castle.
In 1482 Richard Grey [aged 25] was appointed Constable of Wallingford Castle.
In 1536 Francis Bryan [aged 46] was appointed Constable of Wallingford Castle.
After 1520 Richard Cecil [aged 25] was appointed Groom of the Robes and Constable of Warwick Castle.
In 1486 George Stanley 9th Baron Strange Knockin 5th Baron Mohun Dunster [aged 26] was appointed Constable of Wicklow Castle and Chief Justice for the Duchy of Lancaster.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Constable of Winchester Castle.
In 1513 William Babthorpe [aged 24] was appointed Constable of Wressle Castle.