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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Paternal Family Tree: Heathcote
On 22nd June 1749 [his father] Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet [age 29] and Margaret Yorke Lady Heathcote [age 16] were married. She the daughter of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [age 58] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
In 1770 [his father] Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet [age 49] and [his mother] Elizabeth Hudson Lady Heathcote [age 15] were married. She by marriage Lady Heathcote of London. The difference in their ages was 34 years.
On 6th October 1773 Gilbert Heathcote 4th Baronet was born to [his father] Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet [age 53] and [his mother] Elizabeth Hudson Lady Heathcote [age 18].
On 2nd November 1785 [his father] Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet [age 65] died. His son Gilbert [age 12] succeeded 4th Baronet Heathcote of London. Monument St Mary's Church, Edith Weston, Rutlandshire [Map].
Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet: After 1720 he was born to John Heathcote 2nd Baronet. On 22nd June 1749 Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet and Margaret Yorke Lady Heathcote were married. She the daughter of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke. In 1770 Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet and Elizabeth Hudson Lady Heathcote were married. She by marriage Lady Heathcote of London. The difference in their ages was 34 years.
On 16th August 1793 Gilbert Heathcote 4th Baronet [age 19] and Catherine Sophia Manners Lady Heathcote were married. She by marriage Lady Heathcote of London. She the daughter of John Manners and Louisa Tollemache 7th Countess Dysart [age 48].
In 1795 Gilbert Heathcote 4th Baronet [age 21] was appointed High Sheriff of Rutlandshire.
On 16th January 1795 [his son] Gilbert John Heathcote 1st Baron Aveland was born to Gilbert Heathcote 4th Baronet [age 21] and [his wife] Catherine Sophia Manners Lady Heathcote at Normanton Hall, Rutlandshire. He married 8th October 1827 his sixth cousin Clementina Drummond Willoughby 24th Baroness Willoughby of Eresby Baroness Aveland, daughter of Peter Drummond Burrell 2nd Baron Gwydyr 22nd Baron Willoughby and Clementina Sarah Drummond Baroness Gwydyr and Willoughby, and had issue.
In 1796 Gilbert Heathcote 4th Baronet [age 22] was appointed MP Lincolnshire.
On 15th August 1802 Aubrey Beauclerk 6th Duke St Albans [age 36] and [his sister-in-law] Louisa Grace Manners Duchess St Albans [age 25] were married. She by marriage Duchess St Albans. She the daughter of John Manners and [his mother-in-law] Louisa Tollemache 7th Countess Dysart [age 57]. He the son of Aubrey Beauclerk 5th Duke St Albans and Catherine Ponsonby Duchess St Albans. They were half third cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
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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In 1812 Gilbert Heathcote 4th Baronet [age 38] was appointed MP Rutland.
On 14th July 1813 [his mother] Elizabeth Hudson Lady Heathcote [age 58] died.
On 19th February 1816 [his sister-in-law] Louisa Grace Manners Duchess St Albans [age 39] died. The same day her son Aubrey Beauclerk 7th Duke St Albans died. His uncle William [age 49] succeeded 8th Duke St Albans, 8th Earl Burford, 8th Baron Heddington, 5th Baron Vere of Hanworth in Middlesex. Maria Janetta Nelthorpe Duchess St Albans by marriage Duchess St Albans. Both at the home of her sister Laura Manners Countess Stair and her husband John Dalrymple 7th Earl of Stair [age 31] at Portman Square Marylebone.
On 28th May 1825 [his wife] Catherine Sophia Manners Lady Heathcote died.
In 8th October 1827 [his son] Gilbert John Heathcote 1st Baron Aveland [age 32] and [his daughter-in-law] Clementina Drummond Willoughby 24th Baroness Willoughby of Eresby Baroness Aveland [age 18] were married. They were sixth cousins.
On 26th March 1851 Gilbert Heathcote 4th Baronet [age 77] died. His son Gilbert [age 56] succeeded 5th Baronet Heathcote of London.
Great x 2 Grandfather: Gilbert Heathcote
Great x 1 Grandfather: Gilbert Heathcote 1st Baronet
Great x 2 Grandmother: Ann Dickens
GrandFather: John Heathcote 2nd Baronet
Father: Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet
GrandFather: Robert Hudson
Mother: Elizabeth Hudson Lady Heathcote