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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Paternal Family Tree: Walhouse aka Littleton
On 18th March 1791 Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton was born to [his father] Moreton Walhouse.
On 18th May 1812 Edward Littleton 4th Baronet (age 85) died without issue. Baronet Littleton of Pillaton Hall extinct. His estates were inherited by his great-nephew Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 21) who took the surname Littleton.
In October 1812 Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 21) and Hyacinthe Mary Wellesley Baroness Hatherton (age 23) were married. She the illegitmate daughter of Richard Wellesley 1st Marquess Wellesley (age 52) and Hyacinthe Gabrielle Roland Marchioness Wellesley (age 46).
In 1813 [his daughter] Hyacinthe Anne Littleton was born to Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 21) and [his wife] Hyacinthe Mary Wellesley Baroness Hatherton (age 23).
On 31st December 1815 [his son] Edward Richard Littleton 2nd Baron Hatherton was born to Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 24) and [his wife] Hyacinthe Mary Wellesley Baroness Hatherton (age 26). He married 1841 Margaret Percy Baroness Hatherton, daughter of George Percy 5th Duke Northumberland and Louisa Harcourt Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie, and had issue.
On 5th November 1816 [his mother-in-law] Hyacinthe Gabrielle Roland Marchioness Wellesley (age 50) died at Teddesley Hall, Penkridge; home of her son-in-law Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 25), husband of her daughter [his wife] Hyacinthe Mary Wellesley Baroness Hatherton (age 27).
On 16th August 1832 [his son-in-law] Charles Evelyn Pierrepont (age 26) and [his daughter] Emily Littleton were married. He the son of Charles Herbert Pierrepont 2nd Earl Manvers (age 54) and Mary Laetitia Eyre Countess Manvers (age 47).
In 1835 Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 43) was created 1st Baron Hatherton. [his wife] Hyacinthe Mary Wellesley Baroness Hatherton (age 45) by marriage Baroness Hatherton.
In 1841 [his son] Edward Richard Littleton 2nd Baron Hatherton (age 25) and [his daughter-in-law] Margaret Percy Baroness Hatherton (age 28) were married. She the daughter of George Percy 5th Duke Northumberland (age 62) and Louisa Harcourt Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie (age 59).
On 10th July 1847 [his daughter] Hyacinthe Anne Littleton (age 34) died at Teddesley Hall, Penkridge.
On 6th January 1849 [his wife] Hyacinthe Mary Wellesley Baroness Hatherton (age 59) died at Teddesley Hall, Penkridge.
In 1852 Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 60) and Caroline Hurt Baroness Hatherton (age 42) were married. She by marriage Baroness Hatherton.
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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Around 1863. St Michael's Church, Penkridge [Map]. Monument to Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 71).
On 4th May 1863 Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton (age 72) died at Teddesley Hall, Penkridge. His son Edward (age 47) succeeded 2nd Baron Hatherton.
In 1897 [his former wife] Caroline Hurt Baroness Hatherton (age 87) died.
[his daughter] Emily Littleton was born to Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton and Hyacinthe Mary Wellesley Baroness Hatherton. She married 16th August 1832 Charles Evelyn Pierrepont, son of Charles Herbert Pierrepont 2nd Earl Manvers and Mary Laetitia Eyre Countess Manvers.
Kings Wessex: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 18 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 24 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 19 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 29 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 23 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 27 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
GrandFather: Moreton Walhouse
Father: Moreton Walhouse 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Littleton of Pillaton Hall 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Littleton 1st Baronet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Littleton 2nd Baronet 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Courteen
Great x 3 Grandmother: Hester Courteen Lady Littleton
Great x 1 Grandfather: Fisher Littleton 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Devereux Littleton 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Littleton 13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Joyce Littleton 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandMother: Frances Littleton 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: James Whitehall of Pipe Ridware in Staffordshire
Great x 1 Grandmother: Frances Whitehall
Edward John Walhouse aka Littleton 1st Baron Hatherton 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England