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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

St Peter's Church, Llanbedr, Llandedr, Denbighshire, North East Wales, British Isles [Map]

St Peter's Church, Llanbedr is in Llandedr.

1350. St Peter's Church, Llanbedr [Map]. Windows by Shrigley and Hunt.

After 1795. St Peter's Church, Llanbedr [Map]. Monument to Ursula Lloyd [aged 73], her son John Lloyd [aged 49] and his wife Margaret Morrall [aged 32]. Sculpted by S&T Franceys of Liverpool. Originally in the old church. A white marble tablet with moulded cornice and a surmounting sculpted figure of Faith; shallow obelisk behind, of dark grey figured marble, and a shaped grey marble apron with wreathed heraldic roundel.

Ursula Lloyd: Hugh Lloyd of Berth in Denbighshire and she were married. Around 1722 she was born to Howel Lloyd of Wygfair in Flintshire and Phoebe Lloyd. She was their second daughter. On 21st September 1795 she died.

John Lloyd: Around 1746 he was born to Hugh Lloyd of Berth in Denbighshire and Ursula Lloyd. Before 9th September 1806 he and Margaret Morrall were married. On 9th September 1806 he died.

Margaret Morrall: Around 1763 she was born to Josiah Morrall of Plasyollyn in Shropshire and Margaret Lloyd. On 27th March 1810 she died.

On 13th May 1834 Archdeacon John Jones [aged 58] died. He was buried at St Peter's Church, Llanbedr [Map] where he had been rector for fifteen years. Source.

1863. St Peter's Church, Llanbedr [Map]. Monument to Edward Lloyd of Berth in Denbighshire. Sculpted by John Gibson [aged 72].

Edward Lloyd of Berth in Denbighshire: Around 1778 he was born. On 14th October 1859 he died.

1879. St Peter's Church, Llanbedr [Map]. Monument to Reverend Edward Thelwall died 1879.