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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

Biography of Henry Weekes 1807-1877

Canterbury, Kent Christchurch Priory St Andrew's Church, Great Billing St Andrew's Church, Quatt

Henry Weekes is in Sculptors.

On 14th January 1807 Henry Weekes was born in Canterbury, Kent [Map].

After 1837 William Behnes (age 42) was tutor to Henry Weekes (age 29) and Thomas Woolner (age 11). So great was Woolner's promise that Behnes agreed to receive him without a premium, on condition that, when sufficiently advanced, he should work for him at something less than the usual rate of pay. He continued with Behnes four years, and in December 1842, at his master's recommendation, entered the schools of the Royal Academy, continuing to be employed by Behnes in his spare time.

Before 1841 Henry Weekes (age 33) worked for William Behnes (age 45) and Francis Leggatt Chantrey (age 59).

In 1841 Henry Weekes (age 33) took over the studio of Francis Leggatt Chantrey (age 59).

1854. Monument to Percy Bysshe Shelley in Christchurch Priory [Map]. Sculpted by Henry Weekes (age 46). The monument possibly contains Shelley's heart, possibly liver, which resisted cremation and was retrieved by Edward Trelawny who was present at the cremation.

The monument verse forty of fifty-five of Shelley's Adonais: An Elegy on the Death of John Keats, Author of Endymion, Hyperion, etc:

He has out-soared the shadow of our night;

Envy and calumny, and hate and pain,

And that unrest which men miscall delight,

Can touch him not and torture not again;

From the contagion of the world's slow stain.

He is secure, and now can never mourn.

A heart grown cold, a head grown gray in vain;

Nor when the spirit's self has ceased to burn,

With sparkless ashes load an unlamented urn.

Become a Member via our Buy Me a Coffee page to read more.

In 1877 Henry Weekes (age 69) died.

St Andrew's Church, Great Billing [Map]. Monument to Robert Elwes by Henry Weekes.

St Andrew's Church, Ashton-on-Ribble. Marble monument to Captain Thomas Pedder, who died at the Relief of Lucknow, by Henry Weekes.

St Andrew's Church, Quatt [Map]. Monument to William Whitmore by Henry Weekes.